Merge ~nacc/git-ubuntu:lp1717965-lint-applied-branches into git-ubuntu:master

[Nish Aravamudan]

Make Jenkins happy.

This resolves several first-time user issues with the build/buildsource code, and allows us to toggle the default branch for clone to be patches-applied.

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:2b64fa48d7e149c40179065753d520224572f394
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/142/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/142/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:79700c896319f16864b9b30cb7ca6002fd4f1b45
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/144/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/144/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:79700c896319f16864b9b30cb7ca6002fd4f1b45
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/145/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/145/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:41bd8600400ebf1ad1ab1cc8f5dfc571c95c2ecc
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/146/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/146/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:ece83566572b7c8f9bf89071ce63db30d403a6b7
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/147/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/147/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:98c5c3c522fbd91894ffaa98b9752093bc407636
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/149/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/149/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:9657a342abe8f8d21cb594197d62e16368f7401e
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/150/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/150/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:e7e4018d118d0ae57b70fa1f0650189d6d21c620
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/151/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/151/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:9fed1c0078c04a87a31e993625291961ab9ff5e5
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/153/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/153/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:0ea422567c9180f1b46cb67ec6988216baf8a2c8
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/154/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/154/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:c216f0968a57217a096ac00fa5511891c356b951
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/155/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/155/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:72c44168170b9b4860c599b2e7a22ed44874c963
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/157/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/157/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:72c44168170b9b4860c599b2e7a22ed44874c963
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/158/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/158/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:a8da6ba278c6614213f05f6a0cda77b4849afcb6
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/171/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    FAILED: Style Check

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/171/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:5ffa1cee5eadd53e37e7cf177f4ee3282936955e
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/176/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/176/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:5ffa1cee5eadd53e37e7cf177f4ee3282936955e
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/178/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/178/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:60ffc3cc1beb95337fb8a07ff06c7dd49b0ec9ef
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/179/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/179/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:faee1277ab42214121b76f53bda4c2b285bc6983
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/181/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/181/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:0ff756c254236558c6c0e70eda264e068a6c199d
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/182/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/182/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

FAILED: Continuous integration, rev:ce1f0689665e555eddd4d7300fee63761a3c3764
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/183/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    FAILED: Integration Tests

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/183/rebuild

review: Needs Fixing (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:0036188e37d392efb14febeeb9ebdb46efccab04
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/184/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/184/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:ce1f0689665e555eddd4d7300fee63761a3c3764
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/185/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/185/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:0036188e37d392efb14febeeb9ebdb46efccab04
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/186/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/186/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

[Server Team CI bot (server-team-bot)]

PASSED: Continuous integration, rev:262a939c67cd2913867966b7f5b368b0a45b5c47
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/187/
Executed test runs:
    SUCCESS: Checkout
    SUCCESS: Style Check
    SUCCESS: Unit Tests
    SUCCESS: Integration Tests
    IN_PROGRESS: Declarative: Post Actions

Click here to trigger a rebuild:
https://jenkins.ubuntu.com/server/job/git-ubuntu-ci/187/rebuild

review: Approve (continuous-integration)

diff --git a/doc/README.md b/doc/README.md
index f525112..0e33343 100644
--- a/doc/README.md
+++ b/doc/README.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ or
 3. Get necessary dependencies
 
         $ sudo apt update -qy
-        $ deps="dpkg-dev git-buildpackage python3-argcomplete python3-lazr.restfulclient python3-debian python3-distro-info python3-launchpadlib python3-pygit2 python3-ubuntutools python3-pkg-resources python3-pytest quilt"
+        $ deps="dpkg-dev git-buildpackage python3-argcomplete python3-lazr.restfulclient python3-debian python3-distro-info python3-launchpadlib python3-pygit2 python3-ubuntutools python3-pkg-resources python3-pytest python3-petname quilt"
         $ sudo apt install -qy $deps
 
 ## Getting via snap ##
diff --git a/doc/gitubuntu-completion.sh b/doc/gitubuntu-completion.sh
index 5449b54..4f1d9a2 100644
--- a/doc/gitubuntu-completion.sh
+++ b/doc/gitubuntu-completion.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ _git_ubuntu ()
 	case "$subcommand,$cur" in
 		build,--*)
 			__gitcomp "
+				--commitish
 				--dl-cache
 				--for-merge
 				--keep-build-env
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ _git_ubuntu ()
 			;;
 		build-source,--*)
 			__gitcomp "
+				--commitish
 				--dl-cache
 				--for-merge
 				--keep-build-env
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ _git_ubuntu ()
 		import,--*)
 			__gitcomp "
 				--active-series-only
+                                --allow-applied-failures
 				-d --directory
 				--dl-cache
 				--fixup-devel
diff --git a/gitubuntu/__main__.py b/gitubuntu/__main__.py
index ea3bcba..867b581 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/__main__.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/__main__.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ TopLevelDefaults = namedtuple(
 )
 top_level_defaults = TopLevelDefaults(
     verbose=False,
-    retries=3,
+    retries=5,
     retry_backoffs = [2 ** i for i in range(3)],
     proto='https',
     parentfile=pkg_resources.resource_filename(
diff --git a/gitubuntu/build.py b/gitubuntu/build.py
index 1eb8b5f..6c86374 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/build.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/build.py
@@ -30,17 +30,11 @@ import sys
 import tempfile
 import time
 import traceback
-import uuid
 from gitubuntu.__main__ import top_level_defaults
 from gitubuntu.cache import CACHE_PATH
 from gitubuntu.dsc import GitUbuntuDsc
-from gitubuntu.git_repository import (
-    Changelog,
-    GitUbuntuRepository,
-    MultiplePristineTarFoundError,
-    PristineTarNotFoundError,
-)
 from gitubuntu.lint import derive_target_branch
+import gitubuntu.git_repository
 from gitubuntu.run import decode_binary, run, runq
 from gitubuntu.source_information import (
     GitUbuntuSourceInformation,
@@ -51,6 +45,10 @@ from gitubuntu.source_information import (
 try:
     pkg = 'python3-debian'
     from debian.debfile import PART_EXTS
+    pkg = 'python3-petname'
+    import petname
+    pkg = 'python3-pygit2'
+    import pygit2
     pkg = 'python3-pytest'
     import pytest
 except ImportError:
@@ -265,7 +263,7 @@ def fetch_orig_from_pristine_tar(changelog, source, repo):
             changelog.srcpkg,
             changelog.upstream_version,
         )
-    except MultiplePristineTarFoundError as e:
+    except gitubuntu.git_repository.MultiplePristineTarFoundError as e:
         logging.warning("%s. This is often because the orig "
             "tarball compression changed and it is not possible "
             "to determine which tarball to use automatically.", e
@@ -387,12 +385,12 @@ def fetch_orig_from_launchpad(changelog, source, pullfile, retries,
 
 def check_repository():
     try:
-        cp = run(['git', 'status', '--porcelain'])
+        stdout, _ = run(['git', 'status', '--porcelain'])
     except CalledProcessError:
         logging.error('Is the current directory a git repository?')
         return False
 
-    if len(cp.stdout) > 0:
+    if len(stdout) > 0:
         logging.warning(
             "Working tree is not clean. `git status` output follows."
         )
@@ -410,9 +408,11 @@ def check_repository():
 
 
 def main(
+    repo,
+    commitish,
     search_list,
-    changelog,
     rem_args,
+    for_merge,
     sign,
     use_lxd=True,
     keep_build_env=False,
@@ -423,9 +423,11 @@ def main(
 ):
     """main entry point for build
 
+    @param repo: a gitubuntu.git_repository.GitUbuntuRepository object
+    @param commitish: string commitish to build
     @param search_list: list of OrigSearchListEntry namedtuples
-    @param changelog: gitubuntu.git_repository.Changelog object for source package to build
     @param rem_args: namespace object of remaining arguments to pass onto dpkg-buildpackage
+    @param for_merge: if True, the build is an Ubuntu merge
     @param sign: if True, sign the resulting changes file
     @param use_lxd: if True, use a LXD container to build the package
     @param keep_build_env: if True, do not purge the build environment
@@ -443,13 +445,10 @@ def main(
         return []
 
     try:
-        repo = GitUbuntuRepository('.')
-        pkg_remote_branch_string = derive_target_branch(repo, 'HEAD')
-        if len(pkg_remote_branch_string) == 0:
-            sys.exit(1)
+        pkg_remote_branch_string = derive_target_branch(repo, commitish)
 
         # Implies a merge
-        if 'debian' in pkg_remote_branch_string:
+        if 'debian' in pkg_remote_branch_string or for_merge:
             oldubuntu_version, _ = repo.get_changelog_versions_from_treeish(
                 'pkg/ubuntu/devel',
             )
@@ -462,8 +461,9 @@ def main(
                 )
 
         files = fetch_orig_and_build(
+            repo,
+            commitish,
             search_list,
-            changelog,
             rem_args,
             use_lxd,
             keep_build_env,
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ def main(
             changes_file = changes_files.pop()
             try:
                 logging.info("Signing changes file %s", changes_file)
-                run(['debsign', changes_file,])
+                run(['debsign', '-p%s' % _gpg_abspath(), changes_file,])
             except CalledProcessError as e:
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     "Failed to sign changes file %s" % changes_file
@@ -556,6 +556,12 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
         help="LXD image to use. If not specified, the image will be "
              "derived from distribution value of HEAD:debian/changelog.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--commitish',
+        type=str,
+        help="Git commitish to build.",
+        default='HEAD',
+    )
     parser.add_argument('rem_args', help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
                         nargs=argparse.REMAINDER)
     if not subparsers:
@@ -563,8 +569,31 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
     return 'build - %s' % kwargs['description']
 
 
-def derive_orig_search_list_from_args(args):
-    source = 'debian' if args.for_merge else 'ubuntu'
+def derive_orig_search_list_from_args(
+    repo,
+    commitish,
+    for_merge,
+    no_pristine_tar,
+    pullfile=top_level_defaults.pullfile,
+    retries=top_level_defaults.retries,
+    retry_backoffs=top_level_defaults.retry_backoffs,
+    dl_cache=None,
+):
+    native = is_native_package(
+        repo.get_changelog_from_treeish(commitish)
+    )
+
+    if native:
+        # No orig tarball required
+        return [
+            OrigSearchListEntry(
+                mechanism=fetch_orig_noop,
+                source=[],
+                must_build=True,
+            ),
+        ]
+
+    source = 'debian' if for_merge else 'ubuntu'
     orig_search_list = [
         OrigSearchListEntry(
             mechanism=fetch_orig_from_parent_dir,
@@ -574,34 +603,29 @@ def derive_orig_search_list_from_args(args):
         OrigSearchListEntry(
             mechanism=fetch_orig_from_cache,
             source=source,
-            must_build=True,
+            must_build=False,
         ),
     ]
-    if not args.no_pristine_tar:
+    if not no_pristine_tar:
         orig_search_list.append(
             OrigSearchListEntry(
                 mechanism=functools.partial(fetch_orig_from_pristine_tar,
-                    repo=GitUbuntuRepository('.'),
+                    repo=repo,
                 ),
                 source=source,
-                must_build=True,
+                must_build=False,
             )
         )
     orig_search_list.extend([
         OrigSearchListEntry(
             mechanism=functools.partial(fetch_orig_from_launchpad,
-                pullfile=args.pullfile,
-                retries=args.retries,
-                retry_backoffs=args.retry_backoffs,
-                dl_cache=args.dl_cache,
+                pullfile=pullfile,
+                retries=retries,
+                retry_backoffs=retry_backoffs,
+                dl_cache=dl_cache,
             ),
             source=source,
-            must_build=True,
-        ),
-        OrigSearchListEntry(
-            mechanism=fetch_orig_noop,
-            source=[],
-            must_build=True,
+            must_build=False,
         ),
     ])
 
@@ -615,32 +639,31 @@ def cli_main(args):
     else:
         rem_args = default_rem_args
 
-    changelog = Changelog.from_path('debian/changelog')
+    repo = gitubuntu.git_repository.GitUbuntuRepository('.')
 
     try:
-        native = is_native_package(changelog)
+        orig_search_list = derive_orig_search_list_from_args(
+            repo,
+            args.commitish,
+            args.for_merge,
+            args.no_pristine_tar,
+            args.pullfile,
+            args.retries,
+            args.retry_backoffs,
+            args.dl_cache,
+        )
     except NativenessMismatchError as e:
         logging.error("%s" % e)
         return 1
 
-    if native:
-        # No orig tarball required
-        orig_search_list = [
-            OrigSearchListEntry(
-                mechanism=fetch_orig_noop,
-                source=[],
-                must_build=True,
-            ),
-        ]
-    else:
-        orig_search_list = derive_orig_search_list_from_args(args)
-
     # See http://pad.ubuntu.com/KKB1kMR0JH for logic
     if len(
         main(
+            repo,
+            args.commitish,
             orig_search_list,
-            changelog,
             rem_args,
+            for_merge=args.for_merge,
             sign=args.sign,
             use_lxd=not args.no_lxd,
             keep_build_env=args.keep_build_env,
@@ -667,7 +690,7 @@ def derive_source_from_changelog(changelog):
 ])
 def test_derive_source_from_changelog(changelog_path, expected):
     assert derive_source_from_changelog(
-        Changelog.from_path(changelog_path)
+        gitubuntu.git_repository.Changelog.from_path(changelog_path)
     ) == expected
 
 def derive_codename_from_changelog(changelog):
@@ -681,11 +704,11 @@ def derive_codename_from_changelog(changelog):
 ])
 def test_derive_codename_from_changelog(changelog_path, expected):
     assert derive_codename_from_changelog(
-        Changelog.from_path(changelog_path)
+        gitubuntu.git_repository.Changelog.from_path(changelog_path)
     ) == expected
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         derive_codename_from_changelog(
-            Changelog.from_path(
+            gitubuntu.git_repository.Changelog.from_path(
                 'tests/changelogs/test_distribution_source_4',
             )
         )
@@ -706,7 +729,8 @@ def expand_changelog_source_aliases(orig_search_list, changelog):
 
 
 def do_build(
-    changelog,
+    repo,
+    commitish,
     tarballs,
     rem_args,
     use_lxd,
@@ -716,66 +740,89 @@ def do_build(
     retries,
     retry_backoffs,
 ):
-    if use_lxd:
-        return do_build_lxd(
-            changelog,
-            tarballs,
-            rem_args,
-            keep_build_env,
-            lxd_profile,
-            lxd_image,
-            retries,
-            retry_backoffs,
+    with ExitStack() as stack:
+        changelog = repo.get_changelog_from_treeish(commitish)
+
+        commitish_tree_hash = str(repo.get_commitish(commitish).peel(pygit2.Tree).id)
+
+        if gitubuntu.git_repository.is_3_0_quilt(repo, commitish):
+            tree_hash = repo.quiltify_and_changelogify_tree_hash(commitish)
+        else:
+            tree_hash = commitish_tree_hash
+
+        archive_tarball = stack.enter_context(
+            tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
+                suffix='.tar.gz',
+            )
         )
-    else:
-        return do_build_host(
-            changelog,
-            tarballs,
-            rem_args,
-            keep_build_env,
+        archive_prefix = '%s-%s' % (
+            changelog.srcpkg,
+            changelog.version,
         )
+        cmd = [
+            'git',
+            'archive',
+            '-o', archive_tarball.name,
+            '--prefix=%s/' % archive_prefix,
+            tree_hash,
+        ]
+        try:
+            run(cmd)
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise RuntimeError("Failed to archive the repository") from e
+
+        if use_lxd:
+            built_files = do_build_lxd_exitstack(
+                changelog,
+                archive_tarball.name,
+                tarballs,
+                rem_args,
+                keep_build_env,
+                lxd_profile,
+                lxd_image,
+                retries,
+                retry_backoffs,
+                stack,
+            )
+        else:
+            built_files = do_build_host_exitstack(
+                changelog,
+                archive_prefix,
+                archive_tarball.name,
+                tarballs,
+                rem_args,
+                keep_build_env,
+                stack,
+            )
 
+        # Did we do a quiltify/changelogify fixup?
+        if commitish_tree_hash != tree_hash:
+            fixup_commit_hash = repo.commit_tree_hash(
+                tree_hash=tree_hash,
+                parents=[commitish],
+                log_message=b'Automatically generated git-ubuntu fixup.',
+            )
+            logging.info(
+"""We automatically generated fixup changes relative to
+%s as commit %s.
+If you would like to create a branch at that commit, run:
+\tgit checkout -b <branch name> %s""",
+                commitish,
+                fixup_commit_hash,
+                fixup_commit_hash,
+            )
 
-def do_build_host(changelog, tarballs, rem_args, keep_build_env):
-    with ExitStack() as stack:
-        return _do_build_host_exitstack(
-            changelog,
-            tarballs,
-            rem_args,
-            keep_build_env,
-            stack,
-        )
+        return built_files
 
-def _do_build_host_exitstack(
+def do_build_host_exitstack(
     changelog,
+    archive_prefix,
+    archive_tarball_name,
     tarballs,
     rem_args,
     keep_build_env,
     stack,
 ):
-    commitish = 'HEAD'
-
-    archive_tarball = stack.enter_context(
-        tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
-            suffix='.tar.gz',
-        )
-    )
-    archive_prefix = '%s-%s' % (
-        changelog.srcpkg,
-        changelog.version,
-    )
-    cmd = [
-        'git',
-        'archive',
-        '-o', archive_tarball.name,
-        '--prefix=%s/' % archive_prefix,
-        commitish
-    ]
-    try:
-        run(cmd)
-    except Exception as e:
-        raise RuntimeError("Failed to archive the repository") from e
-
     tempdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
     if keep_build_env:
         logging.info(
@@ -790,7 +837,7 @@ def _do_build_host_exitstack(
         shutil.copy(tarball, tempdir)
 
     try:
-        run(['tar', 'zxCf', tempdir, archive_tarball.name,])
+        run(['tar', 'zxCf', tempdir, archive_tarball_name,])
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError(
             "Failed to untar archive tarball in temporary directory"
@@ -814,29 +861,6 @@ def _do_build_host_exitstack(
 
     return built_pardir_contents
 
-def do_build_lxd(
-    changelog,
-    tarballs,
-    rem_args,
-    keep_build_env,
-    profile,
-    image,
-    retries,
-    retry_backoffs,
-):
-    with ExitStack() as stack:
-        return _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
-            changelog,
-            tarballs,
-            rem_args,
-            keep_build_env,
-            profile,
-            image,
-            retries,
-            retry_backoffs,
-            stack,
-        )
-
 def get_cmd_in_origpath(cmd):
     return shutil.which(
         cmd,
@@ -847,20 +871,58 @@ def get_cmd_in_origpath(cmd):
     )
 
 @functools.lru_cache()
+def _gpg_abspath():
+    orig_gpg = get_cmd_in_origpath('gpg')
+    if orig_gpg:
+        return orig_gpg
+    raise RuntimeError("Unable to find a gpg binary, is it installed?")
+
[e-mail]_cache()
 def _lxc_abspath():
     orig_lxc = get_cmd_in_origpath('lxc')
-    return orig_lxc if orig_lxc else 'lxc'
+    if orig_lxc:
+        return orig_lxc
+    raise RuntimeError("Unable to find a lxc binary, is it installed?")
 
 def _cleanup_lxd(container_name):
     run([_lxc_abspath(), 'stop', '--force', container_name])
 
-def _run_in_lxd(container_name, args):
+def _run_in_lxd(container_name, args, user=None, **kwargs):
     cmd = [_lxc_abspath(), 'exec', container_name, '--',]
+    # user == None means run as root
+    if user:
+        try:
+            _run_in_lxd(
+                container_name,
+                [
+                    'grep',
+                    '-q',
+                    user,
+                    '/etc/passwd',
+                ],
+                user=None,
+                verbose_on_failure=False,
+            )
+        except CalledProcessError as e:
+            if e.returncode == 1:
+                _run_in_lxd(
+                    container_name,
+                    [
+                        'adduser',
+                        user,
+                        '--disabled-password',
+                        '--gecos=""',
+                    ],
+                )
+            else:
+                raise
+        cmd.extend(['sudo', '-s', '-H', '-u', user,])
     cmd.extend(args)
-    return run(cmd)
+    return run(cmd, **kwargs)
 
-def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
+def do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     changelog,
+    archive_tarball_name,
     tarballs,
     rem_args,
     keep_build_env,
@@ -876,26 +938,7 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError("LXD running?") from e
 
-    commitish = 'HEAD'
-
-    archive_tarball = stack.enter_context(
-        tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(
-            suffix='.tar.gz',
-        )
-    )
-    cmd = [
-        'git',
-        'archive',
-        '-o', archive_tarball.name,
-        '--prefix=%s-%s/' % (changelog.srcpkg, changelog.version),
-        commitish
-    ]
-    try:
-        run(cmd)
-    except Exception as e:
-        raise RuntimeError("Failed to archive the repository") from e
-
-    container_name = 'gu-build-%s' % uuid.uuid4()
+    container_name = petname.Generate(2, '-')
 
     cmd = [lxc, 'launch', '-e']
     if profile:
@@ -937,9 +980,6 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
             "manually stopped with:\n\tlxc stop --force %s",
             container_name,
         )
-    # wait for the LXD container to have networking, which always takes
-    # a bit of time
-    time.sleep(10)
 
     for i in range(retries+1):
         try:
@@ -950,6 +990,7 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
                 '-y',
                 'devscripts',
                 'equivs',
+                'sudo',
             ])
             break
         except Exception as e:
@@ -970,7 +1011,7 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
             lxc,
             'file',
             'push',
-            archive_tarball.name,
+            archive_tarball_name,
             '%s/tmp/' % container_name,
         ])
     except Exception as e:
@@ -978,17 +1019,9 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
             "Failed to push archive tarball to ephemeral build container"
         ) from e
 
-    try:
-        cp = _run_in_lxd(container_name, ['mktemp' , '-d',])
-        containertemp = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-    except Exception as e:
-        raise RuntimeError(
-            "Failed to create temporary build directory in container"
-        ) from e
-
     cmd = [lxc, 'file', 'push']
     cmd.extend(tarballs)
-    cmd.extend(['%s%s/' % (container_name, containertemp),])
+    cmd.extend(['%s/tmp/' % container_name,])
     try:
         run(cmd)
     except Exception as e:
@@ -997,29 +1030,36 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     logging.info("Copied build files to %s", container_name)
 
     try:
-       _run_in_lxd(container_name, [
-            'tar',
-            'zxCf',
-            containertemp,
-            '/tmp/%s' % os.path.basename(archive_tarball.name),
-       ])
+       _run_in_lxd(
+            container_name,
+            [
+                'tar',
+                'zxCf',
+                '/tmp',
+                '/tmp/%s' % os.path.basename(archive_tarball_name),
+            ],
+            user='ubuntu',
+       )
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError(
             "Failed to untar archive tarball in container"
         ) from e
 
-    cp = _run_in_lxd(container_name, ['ls', containertemp,])
+    stdout, _ = _run_in_lxd(
+        container_name,
+        ['ls', '/tmp',],
+        user='ubuntu',
+    )
     orig_temp_contents = set(
         filename_stripped
         for filename_stripped in (
             filename.strip() for filename in
-            decode_binary(cp.stdout).splitlines()
+            stdout.splitlines()
         )
         if filename_stripped
     )
 
-    container_path = '%s/%s-%s' % (
-        containertemp,
+    container_path = '/tmp/%s-%s' % (
         changelog.srcpkg,
         changelog.version,
     )
@@ -1033,11 +1073,14 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
         #    ),
         # except that Trusty does not support apt-get build-dep with a
         # local dir.
-        _run_in_lxd(container_name, [
-            'sh',
-            '-c',
-            'cd %s && (export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive; mk-build-deps -i -t "apt-get -y -o DPkg::options::=\'--force-confdef\' -o DPkg::options::=\'--force-confold\' -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes --no-install-recommends" -r debian/control)' % container_path,
-        ])
+        _run_in_lxd(
+            container_name,
+            [
+                'sh',
+                '-c',
+                'cd %s && (export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive; mk-build-deps -i -t "apt-get -y -o DPkg::options::=\'--force-confdef\' -o DPkg::options::=\'--force-confold\' -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes --no-install-recommends" -r debian/control)' % container_path,
+            ],
+        )
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError(
             "Failed to install build dependencies in container"
@@ -1046,23 +1089,31 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     logging.info("Running dpkg-buildpackage in %s", container_name)
 
     try:
-        _run_in_lxd(container_name, [
-            'sh',
-            '-c',
-            'cd %s && dpkg-buildpackage %s' % (
-                container_path,
-                ' '.join(rem_args),
-            ),
-        ])
+        _run_in_lxd(
+            container_name,
+            [
+                'sh',
+                '-c',
+                'cd %s && dpkg-buildpackage %s' % (
+                    container_path,
+                    ' '.join(rem_args),
+                ),
+            ],
+            user='ubuntu',
+        )
     except Exception as e:
         raise RuntimeError("dpkg-buildpackage failed in the container") from e
 
-    cp = _run_in_lxd(container_name, ['ls', containertemp])
+    stdout, _ = _run_in_lxd(
+        container_name,
+        ['ls', '/tmp',],
+        user='ubuntu',
+    )
     new_temp_contents = set(
         filename_stripped
         for filename_stripped in (
             filename.strip() for filename in
-            decode_binary(cp.stdout).splitlines()
+            stdout.splitlines()
         )
         if filename_stripped
     )
@@ -1070,7 +1121,7 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     built_temp_contents = new_temp_contents - orig_temp_contents
     cmd = [lxc, 'file', 'pull']
     cmd.extend([
-            '%s%s' % (container_name, os.path.join(containertemp, f))
+            '%s%s' % (container_name, os.path.join('/tmp', f))
             for f in built_temp_contents
         ]
     )
@@ -1080,9 +1131,39 @@ def _do_build_lxd_exitstack(
     return [os.path.join(os.pardir, f) for f in built_temp_contents]
 
 
-def fetch_orig_and_build(
+def fetch_orig(
     orig_search_list,
     changelog,
+):
+    unaliased_orig_search_list = expand_changelog_source_aliases(
+        orig_search_list,
+        changelog,
+    )
+    # Follow searches already attempted as a 'changelog' source alias
+    # may expand to a duplicate.
+    for entry in unique_everseen(unaliased_orig_search_list):
+        try:
+            mechanism_name = entry.mechanism.__name__
+        except AttributeError:
+            mechanism_name = entry.mechanism.func.__name__
+        tarballs = entry.mechanism(changelog, entry.source)
+        if tarballs is None:
+            logging.debug('%s(source=%s) failed',
+                mechanism_name,
+                entry.source,
+            )
+            continue  # search returned negative; try next search entry
+        logging.info('Successfully fetched%susing %s(source=%s)',
+            ':\n' + '\n'.join(tarballs) + '\n' if tarballs else ' ',
+            mechanism_name,
+            entry.source,
+        )
+        return tarballs
+
+def fetch_orig_and_build(
+    repo,
+    commitish,
+    orig_search_list,
     rem_args=[],
     use_lxd=True,
     keep_build_env=False,
@@ -1091,6 +1172,7 @@ def fetch_orig_and_build(
     retries=top_level_defaults.retries,
     retry_backoffs=top_level_defaults.retry_backoffs,
 ):
+    changelog = repo.get_changelog_from_treeish(commitish)
     unaliased_orig_search_list = expand_changelog_source_aliases(
         orig_search_list,
         changelog,
@@ -1111,7 +1193,8 @@ def fetch_orig_and_build(
             continue  # search returned negative; try next search entry
         try:
             built_files = do_build(
-                changelog,
+                repo,
+                commitish,
                 tarballs,
                 rem_args,
                 use_lxd,
@@ -1133,6 +1216,9 @@ def fetch_orig_and_build(
                 # Build failed, but the search list entry declares that
                 # this should not be fatal and so we try the next search
                 # entry
+                # First, remove any tarballs fetched with this mechanism
+                for tarball in tarballs:
+                    os.remove(tarball)
                 logging.debug(
                     "Ignoring failure to build using %s(source=%s)",
                     mechanism_name,
diff --git a/gitubuntu/buildsource.py b/gitubuntu/buildsource.py
index 833ae74..dfbef8c 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/buildsource.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/buildsource.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ from subprocess import CalledProcessError
 import sys
 import gitubuntu.build
 from gitubuntu.cache import CACHE_PATH
-from gitubuntu.git_repository import Changelog
+import gitubuntu.git_repository
 from gitubuntu.run import run
 
 def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
@@ -74,8 +74,16 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
         help="LXD image to use. If not specified, the image will be "
              "derived from distribution value of HEAD:debian/changelog.",
     )
-    parser.add_argument('rem_args', help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
-        nargs=argparse.REMAINDER
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--commitish',
+        type=str,
+        help="Git commitish to build.",
+        default='HEAD',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        'rem_args',
+        help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+        nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
     )
     if not subparsers:
         return parser.parse_args()
@@ -96,33 +104,30 @@ def cli_main(args):
         if args.for_merge:
             args.rem_args += ['-sa']
 
-    changelog = Changelog.from_path('debian/changelog')
+    repo = gitubuntu.git_repository.GitUbuntuRepository('.')
 
     try:
-        native = gitubuntu.build.is_native_package(changelog)
+        orig_search_list = gitubuntu.build.derive_orig_search_list_from_args(
+            repo,
+            args.commitish,
+            args.for_merge,
+            args.no_pristine_tar,
+            args.pullfile,
+            args.retries,
+            args.retry_backoffs,
+            args.dl_cache,
+        )
     except gitubuntu.build.NativenessMismatchError as e:
         logging.error("%s" % e)
         return 1
 
-    if native:
-        # No orig tarball required
-        orig_search_list = [
-            gitubuntu.build.OrigSearchListEntry(
-                mechanism=gitubuntu.build.fetch_orig_noop,
-                source=[],
-                must_build=True,
-            ),
-        ]
-    else:
-        orig_search_list = gitubuntu.build.derive_orig_search_list_from_args(
-            args,
-        )
-
     if len(
         gitubuntu.build.main(
+            repo,
+            args.commitish,
             orig_search_list,
-            changelog,
             rem_args,
+            for_merge=args.for_merge,
             sign=args.sign,
             use_lxd=not args.no_lxd,
             keep_build_env=args.keep_build_env,
diff --git a/gitubuntu/git_repository.py b/gitubuntu/git_repository.py
index 58d5a09..dffeaae 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/git_repository.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/git_repository.py
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ from subprocess import CalledProcessError
 import sys
 import tempfile
 import time
+import gitubuntu.lint
 from gitubuntu.__main__ import top_level_defaults
+import gitubuntu.build
 from gitubuntu.dsc import component_tarball_matches
 from gitubuntu.run import run, runq, decode_binary
 try:
@@ -149,23 +151,23 @@ class Changelog:
 
     @lru_cache()
     def _dpkg_parsechangelog(self, parse_params):
-        cp = run(
+        stdout, _ = run(
             'dpkg-parsechangelog -l- %s' % parse_params,
             input=self._contents,
             shell=True,
             verbose_on_failure=False,
         )
-        return decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
+        return stdout
 
     @lru_cache()
     def _shell(self, cmd):
-        cp = run(
+        stdout, _ = run(
             cmd,
             input=self._contents,
             shell=True,
             verbose_on_failure=False,
         )
-        return decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
+        return stdout
 
     @property
     def _shell_version(self):
@@ -408,6 +410,27 @@ def upstream_tag(version, namespace):
 def orphan_tag(version, namespace):
     return '%s/orphan/%s' % (namespace, git_dep14_tag(version))
 
+def is_dir_3_0_quilt(_dir=None):
+    _dir = _dir if _dir else '.'
+    try:
+        fmt, _ = run(['dpkg-source', '--print-format', _dir])
+        if '3.0 (quilt)' in fmt:
+            return True
+    except CalledProcessError as e:
+        try:
+            with open(os.path.join(_dir, 'debian/source/format'), 'r') as f:
+                for line in f:
+                     if re.match(r'3.0 (.*)', line):
+                         return True
+        # `man dpkg-source` indicates no d/s/format implies 1.0
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+
+    return False
+
+def is_3_0_quilt(repo, commitish='HEAD'):
+    with repo.temporary_worktree(commitish):
+       return is_dir_3_0_quilt()
 
 class GitUbuntuRepositoryFetchError(Exception):
     pass
@@ -465,11 +488,10 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
             self._lp_user = lp_user
         else:
             try:
-                cp = self.git_run(
+                self._lp_user, _ = self.git_run(
                     ['config', 'gitubuntu.lpuser'],
                     verbose_on_failure=False,
                 )
-                self._lp_user = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
             except CalledProcessError:
                 logging.error("Unable to determine Launchpad user")
                 sys.exit(1)
@@ -554,8 +576,8 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
 
     def pristine_tar_list(self, dist, namespace='pkg'):
         with self.pristine_tar_branches(dist, namespace):
-            cp = run(['pristine-tar', 'list'])
-            return decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip().splitlines()
+            stdout, _ = run(['pristine-tar', 'list'])
+            return stdout.splitlines()
 
     def pristine_tar_extract(self, pkgname, version, dist=None, namespace='pkg'):
         '''Extract orig tarballs for a given package and upstream version
@@ -737,6 +759,26 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
         # https://github.com/libgit2/pygit2/issues/671
         return any(remote.name == remote_name for remote in self.raw_repo.remotes)
 
+    def _add_remote_by_fetch_url(self, remote_name, fetch_url):
+        if not self._fetch_proto:
+            raise Exception('Cannot fetch using an object without a protocol')
+
+        logging.debug('Adding %s as remote %s', fetch_url, remote_name)
+
+        if not self.remote_exists(remote_name):
+            self.raw_repo.remotes.create(remote_name, fetch_url,
+                'refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/%s/*' % remote_name)
+            # grab unreachable tags (orphans)
+            self.raw_repo.remotes.add_fetch(remote_name,
+                'refs/tags/*:refs/tags/%s/*' % remote_name)
+            self.git_run(
+                [
+                     'config',
+                     'remote.%s.tagOpt' % remote_name,
+                     '--no-tags',
+                ]
+            )
+
     def _add_remote(self, remote_name, remote_url):
         if not self._fetch_proto:
             raise Exception('Cannot fetch using an object without a protocol')
@@ -770,6 +812,12 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
 
         self._add_remote(remote_name, remote_url)
 
+    def add_remote_by_url(self, remote_name, fetch_url):
+        if not self._fetch_proto:
+            raise Exception('Cannot fetch using an object without a protocol')
+
+        self._add_remote_by_fetch_url(remote_name, fetch_url)
+
     def add_base_remotes(self, pkgname, repo_owner='usd-import-team'):
         self.add_remote(pkgname, repo_owner, 'pkg')
 
@@ -798,7 +846,7 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
             kwargs['stderr'] = None
         try:
             logging.debug("Fetching remote %s", remote_name)
-            cp = self.git_run(
+            self.git_run(
                 args=['fetch', remote_name],
                 env={'GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT': '0',},
                 **kwargs
@@ -950,7 +998,8 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
 
         Note that the hash may still become ambiguous in the future.
         """
-        return self.git_run(['rev-parse', '--short', hash]).stdout.decode().strip()
+        stdout, _ = self.git_run(['rev-parse', '--short', hash])
+        return stdout
 
     def git_run(self, args, env=None, **kwargs):
         # Explicitly take a copy of self._env so the following update doesn't
@@ -1140,6 +1189,29 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
         return set()
 
 
+    def nearest_tag(
+        self,
+        commitish_string,
+        prefix,
+        max_commits=100,
+    ):
+        # 1) cache all patterned tag names by commit
+        pattern_tags_by_commit = collections.defaultdict(set)
+        for t in self.tags:
+            if t.name.startswith('refs/tags/' + prefix):
+                pattern_tags_by_commit[t.peel(pygit2.Commit).id].add(t)
+
+        commits = self.raw_repo.walk(
+            self.get_commitish(commitish_string).id,
+            pygit2.GIT_SORT_TOPOLOGICAL,
+        )
+        for commit in itertools.islice(commits, max_commits):
+            if commit.id not in pattern_tags_by_commit:
+                continue
+
+            return pattern_tags_by_commit[commit.id].pop()
+
+        return None
 
     @staticmethod
     def tag_to_pretty_name(tag):
@@ -1349,7 +1421,8 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
             fp.flush()
             commit_tree += ['-F', fp.name]
             try:
-                 cp = run(commit_tree, env=commit_env)
+                 stdout, _ = run(commit_tree, env=commit_env)
+                 return stdout
             except CalledProcessError:
                  _, t = tempfile.mkstemp()
                  shutil.copy(fp.name, t)
@@ -1357,8 +1430,6 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
                                    "temp commit message as %s", t)
                  sys.exit(1)
 
-        return decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-
     @classmethod
     def _create_replacement_tree_builder(cls, repo, treeish, sub_path):
         '''Create a replacement TreeBuilder
@@ -1467,40 +1538,51 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as index_dir:
             index_path = os.path.join(index_dir, 'index')
             index_env = {'GIT_INDEX_FILE': index_path}
-            git_dir = os.path.join(path, '.git')
-            if os.path.exists(git_dir):
-                logging.warning('.git directory found in source '
-                    'package. Will remove it.')
-                shutil.rmtree(git_dir)
             self.git_run(
                 ['--work-tree', path, 'add', '-f', '-A'],
                 env=index_env,
             )
-            cp = self.git_run(
+            self.git_run(
+                ['--work-tree', path, 'reset', 'HEAD', '--', '.git',],
+                env=index_env,
+            )
+            self.git_run(
+                ['--work-tree', path, 'reset', 'HEAD', '--', '.pc',],
+                env=index_env,
+            )
+            tree_hash_str, _ = self.git_run(
                 ['--work-tree', path, 'write-tree'],
                 env=index_env,
             )
-        tree_hash_str = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-        tree = self.raw_repo.get(tree_hash_str)
-
-        # Add any empty directories that git did not import. Workaround for LP:
-        # #1687057.
-        replacement_oid = self._add_missing_tree_dirs(
-            repo=self.raw_repo,
-            top_path=path,
-            top_tree_object=tree,
-        )
-        if replacement_oid:
-            # Empty directories had to be added
-            return str(replacement_oid)  # return the replacement instead
-        else:
-            # No empty directories were added
-            return tree_hash_str         # no replacement was needed
+            tree = self.raw_repo.get(tree_hash_str)
+
+            # Add any empty directories that git did not import. Workaround for LP:
+            # #1687057.
+            replacement_oid = self._add_missing_tree_dirs(
+                repo=self.raw_repo,
+                top_path=path,
+                top_tree_object=tree,
+            )
+            if replacement_oid:
+                # Empty directories had to be added
+                return str(replacement_oid)  # return the replacement instead
+            else:
+                # No empty directories were added
+                return tree_hash_str         # no replacement was needed
 
     @contextmanager
-    def temporary_worktree(self, commitish):
-        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
-            self.git_run(['worktree', 'add', '--force', tempdir, commitish])
+    def temporary_worktree(self, commitish, prefix=None):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix=prefix) as tempdir:
+            self.git_run(
+                [
+                    'worktree',
+                    'add',
+                    '--detach',
+                    '--force',
+                    tempdir,
+                    commitish,
+                ]
+            )
 
             oldcwd = os.getcwd()
             os.chdir(tempdir)
@@ -1523,6 +1605,429 @@ class GitUbuntuRepository:
                 raise
 
             run(["git", "add", "-f", ".",])
-            cp = run(["git", "write-tree"])
-            tree_hash = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-        return tree_hash
+            tree_hash, _ = run(["git", "write-tree"])
+            return tree_hash
+
+    def tree_hash_subpath(self, treeish_string, path):
+        """Get the tree hash for path at a given treeish
+
+        Arguments:
+        @treeish_string: a string Git treeish
+        @path: a string path present in @treeish_string
+
+        Returns:
+        String hash of Git tree corresponding to @path in @treeish_string
+        """
+        tree_obj = self.raw_repo.revparse_single(treeish_string).peel(
+            pygit2.Tree
+        )
+        return str(tree_obj[path].id)
+
+    def paths_are_identical(self, treeish1_string, treeish2_string, path):
+        """Determine if a given path is the same in two treeishs
+
+        Arguments:
+        @treeish1_string: a string Git treeish
+        @treeish2_string: a string Git treeish
+        @path: a string path present in @treeish1_string and @treeish2_string
+
+        Returns:
+        True, if @path is the same in @treeish1_string and @treeish2_string
+        False, otherwise
+        """
+        return self.tree_hash_subpath(
+            treeish1_string,
+            path,
+        ) == self.tree_hash_subpath(
+            treeish2_string,
+            path,
+        )
+
+    @lru_cache()
+    def quilt_env(self, commit_hash):
+        with self.temporary_worktree(commit_hash):
+            combined_env = self.env.copy()
+            combined_env.update(
+                {
+                    'QUILT_PATCHES': 'debian/patches',
+                    'QUILT_NO_DIFF_INDEX': '1',
+                    'QUILT_NO_DIFF_TIMESTAMPS': '1',
+                    'EDITOR': 'true',
+                }
+            )
+            for path in [
+                os.path.join('debian', 'patches', 'debian.series'),
+                os.path.join('debian', 'patches', 'series'),
+            ]:
+                if os.path.exists(path):
+                    combined_env.update({'QUILT_SERIES': path,})
+                    break
+            else:
+                logging.debug(
+                    "Unable to find a series file in %s",
+                    commit_hash
+                )
+
+            return combined_env
+
+    def is_patches_applied(self, commit_hash, regenerated_pc_path):
+        # first see if quilt push -a would do anything to
+        # differentiate between applied an unapplied
+        with self.temporary_worktree(commit_hash):
+            try:
+                run(['quilt', 'push', '-a'], env=self.quilt_env(commit_hash))
+                # False if in an unapplied state, which is signified by
+                # successful push (rc=0)
+                return False
+            except CalledProcessError as e:
+                # non-zero return might be an error or it might mean no
+                # patches exist
+                if e.returncode == 1:
+                    # an error may occur if we need to recreate the .pc
+                    # first
+                    try:
+                        # the first quilt push may have created a .pc/
+                        shutil.rmtree('.pc')
+                        shutil.copytree(
+                            regenerated_pc_path,
+                            '.pc',
+                        )
+                    except FileNotFoundError:
+                        # if there was no .pc directory, then the first
+                        # quilt push failure was a real error
+                        raise e
+
+                    try:
+                        run(['quilt', 'push', '-a'], env=self.quilt_env(commit_hash))
+                        # False if in an unapplied state
+                        return False
+                    except CalledProcessError as e:
+                        # True if in a patches-applied state or
+                        # there are no patches to apply
+                        if e.returncode == 2:
+                            return True
+                        else:
+                            raise
+                # True if in a patches-applied state or there are
+                # no patches to apply
+                elif e.returncode == 2:
+                    return True
+                else:
+                    raise
+
+    def _maybe_quiltify_tree_hash(self, commit_hash):
+        """Determine if quiltify is needed and yield the quiltify'd tree hash
+
+        The imported patches-applied trees do not contain .pc
+        directories. To determine if an additional quilt patch is
+        necessary, we have to first regenerate the .pc directory, then
+        see if dpkg-source --commit generates a new quilt patch.
+
+        In order for dpkg-source --commit to function, we need to know
+        if the commit we are building is patches-unapplied or
+        patches-applied. In the latter case, we can build the commit
+        directly after copying the regenerated .pc directory. In the
+        former case, we do not want to copy the regenerated .pc
+        directory, as dpkg-source will do this for us, as it applies the
+        current patches. We determine if patches are applied or
+        unapplied by relying `quilt push -a`'s exit status at
+        @commit_hash.
+
+        This is a common method used by multiple callers.
+
+        Arguments:
+        @commit_hash: a string Git commit hash
+
+        Returns:
+        String tree hash of quiltify'ing @commit_hash.
+        If no quiltify is needed, the return value is @commit_hash's
+        tree hash
+        """
+        # we need the orig tarballs for quilt and dpkg-source
+        # but suppress any logging
+        logger = logging.getLogger()
+        oldLevel = logger.getEffectiveLevel()
+        logger.setLevel(logging.WARNING)
+        tarballs = gitubuntu.build.fetch_orig(
+            orig_search_list=gitubuntu.build.derive_orig_search_list_from_args(
+                self,
+                commitish=commit_hash,
+                for_merge=False,
+                no_pristine_tar=False,
+            ),
+            changelog=Changelog.from_path('debian/changelog'),
+        )
+        logger.setLevel(oldLevel)
+        commit_tree_hash = str(
+            self.raw_repo.get(commit_hash).peel(pygit2.Tree).id
+        )
+        # the tarballs need to be in the parent directory from where we
+        # run dpkg-source
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tempdir:
+            # copy the generated tarballs
+            new_tarballs = []
+            for tarball in tarballs:
+                new_tarballs.append(shutil.copy(tarball, tempdir))
+            tarballs = new_tarballs
+
+            # create a nested temporary directory where we will recreate
+            # the .pc directory
+            with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix=tempdir+'/') as ttempdir:
+                oldcwd = os.getcwd()
+                os.chdir(ttempdir)
+
+                for tarball in tarballs:
+                    run(['tar', '-x', '--strip-components=1', '-f', tarball,])
+
+                # need the debia/patches
+                shutil.copytree(
+                    os.path.join(self.local_dir, 'debian',),
+                    'debian',
+                )
+
+                # generate the equivalent .pc directory
+                run(
+                    ['quilt', 'push', '-a'],
+                    env=self.quilt_env(commit_hash),
+                    rcs=[2],
+                )
+
+                regenerated_pc_path = os.path.join(tempdir, '.pc')
+                shutil.copytree(
+                    '.pc',
+                    regenerated_pc_path,
+                )
+
+                os.chdir(oldcwd)
+
+            patches_applied = self.is_patches_applied(
+                commit_hash,
+                regenerated_pc_path,
+            )
+
+            with self.temporary_worktree(commit_hash, prefix=tempdir+'/'):
+                # we only need to copy the generated .pc directory
+                # if we are building a patches-applied tree, which
+                # we determine by comparing our current tree hash to
+                # the generated tree hash.
+                if patches_applied:
+                    try:
+                        shutil.copytree(
+                            regenerated_pc_path,
+                            '.pc',
+                        )
+                    except FileNotFoundError:
+                        # it is possible no quilt patches exist yet
+                        pass
+
+                fixup_patch_path = os.path.join(
+                    'debian',
+                    'patches',
+                    'git-ubuntu-fixup.patch'
+                )
+
+                if os.path.exists(fixup_patch_path):
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        "A quilt patch with the name git-ubuntu-fixup.patch "
+                        "already exists in %s" % commit_hash
+                    )
+
+                run(
+                    [
+                        'dpkg-source',
+                        '--commit',
+                        '.',
+                        'git-ubuntu-fixup.patch',
+                    ],
+                    env=self.quilt_env(commit_hash),
+                )
+
+                # do not want the .pc directory in the resulting
+                # treeish
+                shutil.rmtree('.pc')
+
+                if os.path.exists(fixup_patch_path):
+                    # dpkg-source uses debian/changelog to generate some
+                    # fields. We do not know yet if the changelog has
+                    # been updated, so elide that section of comments.
+                    with open(fixup_patch_path, 'r+') as f:
+                        for line in f:
+                            if '---' in line:
+                                break
+                        text = """Description: git-ubuntu generated quilt fixup patch
+TODO: Put a short summary on the line above and replace this paragraph
+with a longer explanation of this change. Complete the meta-information
+with other relevant fields (see below for details).
+---\n"""
+                        for line in f:
+                            text += line
+                        f.seek(0)
+                        f.write(text)
+                        f.truncate()
+
+                    # If we are on a patches-unapplied tree, then we
+                    # need to reset ourselves back to @commit_hash with
+                    # our new patch.
+                    # In order for this to be buildable, we have to
+                    # reverse-apply our patch, to undo the git-commited
+                    # upstream changes.
+                    if not patches_applied:
+                        run(['git', 'add', '-f', 'debian/patches',])
+                        # if any patches add files that are untracked,
+                        # remove them
+                        run(['git', 'clean', '-f', '-d',])
+                        # reset all the other files to their status in
+                        # HEAD
+                        run(['git', 'checkout', commit_hash, '--', '*',])
+                        with open(fixup_patch_path, 'rb') as f:
+                            run(['patch', '-Rp1',], input=f.read())
+
+                    return self.dir_to_tree('.')
+                else:
+                    return commit_tree_hash
+
+    def maybe_quiltify_tree_hash(self, commitish_string):
+        """Determine if quiltify is needed and return the quiltify'd tree hash
+
+        See _maybe_quiltify_tree_hash for details.
+
+        Arguments:
+        @commitish_string: a string Git commitish
+
+        Returns:
+        String tree hash of quiltify'ing @commitish_string.
+        If no quiltify is needed, the return value is the tree hash of
+        @commitish_string.
+        """
+        commit_hash = str(
+            self.get_commitish(commitish_string).peel(pygit2.Commit).id
+        )
+        return self._maybe_quiltify_tree_hash(commit_hash)
+
+    def maybe_changelogify_tree_hash(self, commit_hash):
+        """Determine if changelogify is needed and yield the changelogify'd tree hash
+
+        Given a commit, we need to detect if the user has inserted a
+        changelog entry relative to a published version for the purpose
+        of test builds.
+
+        Arguments:
+        @commit_hash: a string Git commit hash
+
+        Returns:
+        String tree hash of changelogify'ing @commit_hash.
+        If no changelogify is needed, the return value is the tree hash of
+        @commit_hash.
+        """
+        commit_tree_hash = str(
+            self.raw_repo.get(commit_hash).peel(pygit2.Tree).id
+        )
+
+        # one of these are the "base" pkg that @commit_hash's changes
+        # are based on
+        remote_tag = self.nearest_tag(
+            commit_hash,
+            prefix='pkg/',
+        )
+        remote_branch = gitubuntu.lint.derive_target_branch(
+            self,
+            commit_hash,
+        )
+
+        assert remote_tag or remote_branch
+
+        if remote_tag:
+            if remote_branch:
+                try:
+                    self.git_run(
+                        [
+                            'merge-base',
+                            '--is-ancestor',
+                            remote_tag.name,
+                            remote_branch,
+                        ],
+                        verbose_on_failure=False,
+                    )
+                    parent_ref = remote_branch
+                except CalledProcessError as e:
+                    if e.returncode == 1:
+                        parent_ref = remote_tag.name
+                    else:
+                        raise
+            else:
+                parent_ref = remote_tag.name
+        else:
+            parent_ref = remote_branch
+
+        # If there are any changes relative to parent_ref but there are
+        # not any changelog changes, insert a snapshot changelog entry,
+        # starting from parent_ref, and return the resulting tree hash.
+        if str(self.raw_repo.revparse_single(parent_ref).peel(
+            pygit2.Tree
+        ).id) != commit_tree_hash and self.paths_are_identical(
+            parent_ref,
+            commit_hash,
+            'debian/changelog',
+        ):
+            with self.temporary_worktree(commit_hash):
+                run(
+                    [
+                        'gbp',
+                        'dch',
+                        '--snapshot',
+                        '--ignore-branch',
+                        '--since=%s' % str(parent_ref),
+                    ]
+                )
+                return self.dir_to_tree('.')
+
+        # otherwise, return @commit_hash's tree hash
+        return commit_tree_hash
+
+    def quiltify_and_changelogify_tree_hash(self, commitish_string):
+        """Given a commitish, possibly quiltify and changelogify its tree
+
+        Definitions:
+            quiltify: generate a quilt patch from untracked upstream
+            changes
+            changelogify: generate a snapshot changelog entry if any
+            changes exist, and no new changelog entry yet exists
+
+        Arguments:
+        @commitish_string: string Git commitish
+
+        Returns:
+        string Git tree hash of quiltify-ing and changelogify-ing
+        @commitish_string, if needed
+        if neither quiltify or changelogify are needed, return
+        @commitish_string's tree hash
+        """
+        commit_hash = str(
+            self.get_commitish(commitish_string).peel(pygit2.Commit).id
+        )
+        quiltify_tree_hash = self._maybe_quiltify_tree_hash(commit_hash)
+        changelogify_tree_hash = self.maybe_changelogify_tree_hash(commit_hash)
+
+        quiltify_tree_obj = self.raw_repo.get(quiltify_tree_hash)
+        changelogify_tree_obj = self.raw_repo.get(changelogify_tree_hash)
+
+        # There are multiple ways to solve this problem, but the
+        # simplest is to use a TreeBuilder to merge the quiltify tree
+        # with the changelog from the changelogify tree
+        # top-level TreeBuilder
+        tb = self.raw_repo.TreeBuilder(quiltify_tree_obj)
+        te = tb.get('debian')
+        # TreeBuilder for debian/
+        dtb = self.raw_repo.TreeBuilder(self.raw_repo.get(te.id))
+        dtb.insert( # does not take kwargs
+            'changelog',                                   # name
+            changelogify_tree_obj['debian/changelog'].oid, # oid
+            pygit2.GIT_FILEMODE_BLOB,                      # attr
+        )
+        # insert can replace
+        tb.insert( # does not take kwargs
+            'debian',                 # name
+            dtb.write(),              # oid
+            pygit2.GIT_FILEMODE_TREE, # attr
+        )
+        return str(tb.write())
diff --git a/gitubuntu/importer.py b/gitubuntu/importer.py
index 7248ee6..f438739 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/importer.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/importer.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ from gitubuntu.git_repository import (
     import_tag,
     upstream_tag,
     PristineTarError,
+    is_dir_3_0_quilt,
 )
 from gitubuntu.run import decode_binary, run, runq
 from gitubuntu.source_information import (
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ def main(
     skip_orig,
     skip_applied,
     reimport,
+    allow_applied_failures,
     directory=None,
     dl_cache=None,
     user=None,
@@ -167,6 +169,9 @@ def main(
     publishes
     @reimport: if True, import the source package from scratch and
     delete/recreate the target repository.
+    @allow_import_failures: if True, and patches fail to apply for any
+    publish, that patches-applied import will be skipped rather than an
+    error
     @directory: string path for local repository
     @user: string user to authenticate to Launchpad as
     @proto: string protocol to use (one of 'http', 'https', 'git')
@@ -329,6 +334,7 @@ def main(
         workdir=workdir,
         fixup_devel=fixup_devel,
         skip_orig=skip_orig,
+        allow_applied_failures=allow_applied_failures,
     )
 
     if not history_found:
@@ -350,6 +356,7 @@ def main(
             workdir=workdir,
             fixup_devel=fixup_devel,
             skip_orig=skip_orig,
+            allow_applied_failures=allow_applied_failures,
         )
 
     os.chdir(oldcwd)
@@ -424,11 +431,11 @@ def get_changelog_for_commit(
     if changelog_parent_commit is not None:
         cmd = ['diff-tree', '-p', changelog_parent_commit,
                tree_hash, '--', 'debian/changelog']
-        raw_clog_entry = repo.git_run(cmd).stdout
+        raw_clog_entry, _ = repo.git_run(cmd, decode=False)
     elif publish_parent_commit is not None:
         cmd = ['diff-tree', '-p', publish_parent_commit,
                 tree_hash, '--', 'debian/changelog']
-        raw_clog_entry = repo.git_run(cmd).stdout
+        raw_clog_entry, _ = repo.git_run(cmd, decode=False)
 
     changelog_entry = b''
     changelog_entry_found = False
@@ -754,10 +761,9 @@ def import_patches_applied_tree(repo, dsc_pathname):
         repo.git_run(
             ['--work-tree', extracted_dir, 'rm', '-r', '-f', '.pc']
         )
-        cp = repo.git_run(
+        import_tree_hash, _ = repo.git_run(
             ['--work-tree', extracted_dir, 'write-tree']
         )
-        import_tree_hash = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
         yield (
             import_tree_hash,
             None,
@@ -765,31 +771,15 @@ def import_patches_applied_tree(repo, dsc_pathname):
         )
 
     try:
-        try:
-            cp = run(['dpkg-source', '--print-format', extracted_dir])
-            fmt = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-            if '3.0 (quilt)' not in fmt:
-                raise StopIteration()
-        except CalledProcessError as e:
-            try:
-                with open('debian/source/format', 'r') as f:
-                    for line in f:
-                         if re.match(r'3.0 (.*)', line):
-                             break
-                    else:
-                         raise StopIteration()
-            # `man dpkg-source` indicates no d/s/format implies 1.0
-            except OSError:
-                raise StopIteration()
+        if not is_dir_3_0_quilt(extracted_dir):
+            raise StopIteration()
 
         while True:
             try:
                 os.chdir(extracted_dir)
-                run(['quilt', 'push'], rcs=[2])
-                cp = run(['quilt', 'top'])
-                patch_name = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
-                cp = run(['quilt', 'header'])
-                header = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
+                run(['quilt', 'push'], verbose_on_failure=False,)
+                patch_name, _ = run(['quilt', 'top'])
+                header, _  = run(['quilt', 'header'])
                 patch_desc = None
                 for regex in (r'Subject:\s*(.*?)$',
                               r'Description:\s*(.*?)$'
@@ -818,8 +808,9 @@ def import_patches_applied_tree(repo, dsc_pathname):
                     '--',
                     '.pc',
                 ])
-                cp = repo.git_run(['--work-tree', extracted_dir, 'write-tree'])
-                import_tree_hash = decode_binary(cp.stdout).strip()
+                import_tree_hash, _ = repo.git_run(
+                    ['--work-tree', extracted_dir, 'write-tree']
+                )
 
                 yield (import_tree_hash, patch_name, patch_desc)
             except CalledProcessError as e:
@@ -1195,14 +1186,6 @@ def import_unapplied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, skip_orig, ubuntu_sinfo):
                 unapplied_publish_parent_commit = str(unapplied_publish_parent_head.peel().id)
             except AttributeError:
                 pass
-        finally:
-            try:
-                unapplied_publish_parent_tag = repo.nearest_import_tag(unapplied_publish_parent_commit, namespace)
-                logging.debug('Publishing parent (tag) is %s',
-                    repo.tag_to_pretty_name(unapplied_publish_parent_tag)
-                            )
-            except AttributeError:
-                pass
 
         if version_compare(str(spi.version), unapplied_tip_version) <= 0:
             logging.warn('Version to import (%s) is not after %s tip (%s)',
@@ -1265,11 +1248,15 @@ def import_unapplied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, skip_orig, ubuntu_sinfo):
             upload_parent_commit = str(upload_tag.peel().id)
             if unapplied_publish_parent_commit is not None:
                 try:
-                    repo.git_run(['merge-base', '--is-ancestor',
-                                  unapplied_publish_parent_commit,
-                                  upload_parent_commit
-                                 ]
-                                )
+                    repo.git_run(
+                        [
+                            'merge-base',
+                            '--is-ancestor',
+                            unapplied_publish_parent_commit,
+                            upload_parent_commit,
+                        ],
+                        verbose_on_failure=False,
+                    )
                     unapplied_publish_parent_commit = None
                 except CalledProcessError as e:
                     if e.returncode != 1:
@@ -1277,11 +1264,15 @@ def import_unapplied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, skip_orig, ubuntu_sinfo):
 
             if unapplied_changelog_parent_commit is not None:
                 try:
-                    repo.git_run(['merge-base', '--is-ancestor',
-                                  unapplied_changelog_parent_commit,
-                                  upload_parent_commit
-                                 ]
-                                )
+                    repo.git_run(
+                        [
+                            'merge-base',
+                            '--is-ancestor',
+                            unapplied_changelog_parent_commit,
+                            upload_parent_commit,
+                        ],
+                        verbose_on_failure=False,
+                    )
                     unapplied_changelog_parent_commit = None
                 except CalledProcessError as e:
                     if e.returncode != 1:
@@ -1305,7 +1296,13 @@ def import_unapplied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, skip_orig, ubuntu_sinfo):
         spi=spi,
     )
 
-def import_applied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, ubuntu_sinfo):
+def import_applied_spi(
+    repo,
+    spi,
+    namespace,
+    ubuntu_sinfo,
+    allow_applied_failures
+):
     """Imports a source package from Launchpad into the git
     repository
 
@@ -1424,35 +1421,40 @@ def import_applied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, ubuntu_sinfo):
     # Assume no patches to apply
     applied_import_tree_hash = unapplied_import_tree_hash
     # get tree id from above commit
-    for (
-       applied_import_tree_hash,
-       patch_name,
-       patch_desc
-    ) in import_patches_applied_tree(repo, spi.dsc_pathname):
-        # special case for .pc removal
-        if patch_name is None:
-            msg = b'%b.' % (patch_desc.encode())
-        else:
-            if patch_desc is None:
-                patch_desc = (
-                    "%s\n\nNo DEP3 Subject or Description header found" %
-                     patch_name
+    try:
+        for (
+           applied_import_tree_hash,
+           patch_name,
+           patch_desc
+        ) in import_patches_applied_tree(repo, spi.dsc_pathname):
+            # special case for .pc removal
+            if patch_name is None:
+                msg = b'%b.' % (patch_desc.encode())
+            else:
+                if patch_desc is None:
+                    patch_desc = (
+                        "%s\n\nNo DEP3 Subject or Description header found" %
+                         patch_name
+                    )
+                msg = b'%b\n\nGbp-Pq: %b.' % (
+                    patch_desc.encode(),
+                    patch_name.encode()
                 )
-            msg = b'%b\n\nGbp-Pq: %b.' % (
-                patch_desc.encode(),
-                patch_name.encode()
+            unapplied_parent_commit = repo.commit_tree_hash(
+                applied_import_tree_hash,
+                [unapplied_parent_commit],
+                msg,
+                spi
             )
-        unapplied_parent_commit = repo.commit_tree_hash(
-            applied_import_tree_hash,
-            [unapplied_parent_commit],
-            msg,
-            spi
-        )
 
-        logging.debug(
-            "Committed patch-application of %s as %s",
-            patch_name, unapplied_parent_commit
-        )
+            logging.debug(
+                "Committed patch-application of %s as %s",
+                patch_name, unapplied_parent_commit
+            )
+    except CalledProcessError as e:
+        if allow_applied_failures:
+            return
+        raise
 
     commit_applied_patches_import(
         repo,
@@ -1472,10 +1474,20 @@ def import_applied_spi(repo, spi, namespace, ubuntu_sinfo):
         spi=spi,
     )
 
-def import_publishes(repo, pkgname, namespace, patches_applied,
-    debian_head_versions, ubuntu_head_versions, debian_sinfo,
-    ubuntu_sinfo, active_series_only, workdir, fixup_devel, 
+def import_publishes(
+    repo,
+    pkgname,
+    namespace,
+    patches_applied,
+    debian_head_versions,
+    ubuntu_head_versions,
+    debian_sinfo,
+    ubuntu_sinfo,
+    active_series_only,
+    workdir,
+    fixup_devel,
     skip_orig,
+    allow_applied_failures,
 ):
     history_found = False
     only_debian = False
@@ -1484,13 +1496,16 @@ def import_publishes(repo, pkgname, namespace, patches_applied,
         _namespace = namespace
         namespace = '%s/applied' % namespace
         import_type = 'patches-applied'
-        import_func =  import_applied_spi
+        import_func =  functools.partial(
+            import_applied_spi,
+            allow_applied_failures=allow_applied_failures,
+        )
     else:
         _namespace = namespace
         import_type = 'patches-unapplied'
         import_func =  functools.partial(
             import_unapplied_spi,
-            skip_orig=skip_orig
+            skip_orig=skip_orig,
         )
     for distname, versions, dist_sinfo in (
             ("debian", debian_head_versions, debian_sinfo),
@@ -1592,6 +1607,11 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
                         help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
     parser.add_argument('--reimport', action='store_true',
                         help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--allow-applied-failures',
+        action='store_true',
+        help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+    )
     if not subparsers:
         return parser.parse_args()
     return 'import - %s' % kwargs['description']
@@ -1631,6 +1651,7 @@ def cli_main(args):
         skip_orig=args.skip_orig,
         skip_applied=args.skip_applied,
         reimport=args.reimport,
+        allow_applied_failures=args.allow_applied_failures,
         directory=directory,
         user=user,
         proto=args.proto,
diff --git a/gitubuntu/importppa.py b/gitubuntu/importppa.py
index 3d5ba65..1f3283c 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/importppa.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/importppa.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ def main(
     retries,
     retry_backoffs,
     skip_orig,
+    allow_applied_failures,
 ):
     if re.match(r'ppa:\w+', ppa) is None:
         logging.error(
@@ -159,6 +160,7 @@ def main(
                     spi=srcpkg_information,
                     namespace=namespace,
                     ubuntu_sinfo=source_information,
+                    allow_applied_failures=allow_applied_failures,
                 )
             except DownloadError:
                 # it is non-fatal for a PPA to not have files for older
@@ -215,6 +217,11 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
         action='store_true',
         help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--allow-applied-failures',
+        action='store_true',
+        help=argparse.SUPPRESS,
+    )
     if not subparsers:
         return parser.parse_args()
     return 'import-ppa - %s' % kwargs['description']
@@ -241,4 +248,5 @@ def cli_main(args):
         args.retries,
         args.retry_backoffs,
         args.skip_orig,
+        args.allow_applied_failures,
     )
diff --git a/gitubuntu/lint.py b/gitubuntu/lint.py
index 0897eef..dda55e8 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/lint.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/lint.py
@@ -625,14 +625,39 @@ def do_change_lint(repo, commitish_string, pkg_remote_branch_string):
     # Don"t need most arguments here as we"re only grabbing some
     # data from launchpad about the active series
     ubuntu_source_information = GitUbuntuSourceInformation("ubuntu")
-    # 1) does changelog in new branch only have additions at the top
+    # 1) Are there upstream changes not stored in a quilt patch
+    try:
+        quiltify_needed = not repo.paths_are_identical(
+            commitish_string,
+            repo.maybe_quiltify_tree_hash(commitish_string),
+            'debian/patches',
+        )
+    except ValueError:
+        quiltify_needed = False
+    if quiltify_needed:
+        # 1a) if so, emit an error
+        error(
+            "Upstream changes exist that have not yet "
+            "been converted into a quilt patch. Consider using "
+            "`git ubuntu build` to generate a quilt patch."
+        )
+        ret = False
+    elif 'applied' in pkg_remote_branch_string:
+        # 1b) if not, emit a warning recommending if they are targetting
+        # a patches-applied branch
+        warning(
+            "All upstream changes are correctly tracked in quilt "
+            "patches, but changes are targetting a "
+            "patches-applied tree."
+        )
+    # 2) does changelog in new branch only have additions at the top
     # relative to target
     ret = _check_changelog_addition(
         repo,
         pkg_remote_branch_string,
         commitish_string,
     ) and ret
-    # 2) does versioning make sense?
+    # 3) does versioning make sense?
     if dist in ["devel", ubuntu_source_information.active_series_name_list[0]]:
         ret = _check_versioning(
             repo,
@@ -655,9 +680,9 @@ def do_change_lint(repo, commitish_string, pkg_remote_branch_string):
     else:
         error("Targetted distribution (%s) is not active", dist)
         ret = False
-    # 3) has update-maintainer been run?
+    # 4) has update-maintainer been run?
     ret = _check_update_maintainer(repo, commitish_string) and ret
-    # 4) does target branch match changelog?
+    # 5) does target branch match changelog?
     pkg_branch_series = pkg_remote_branch_string[len('pkg/'):].split('/')[1].split('-')[0]
     if dist != pkg_branch_series:
         error(
diff --git a/gitubuntu/merge.py b/gitubuntu/merge.py
index 3baa748..c16fe4b 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/merge.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/merge.py
@@ -129,15 +129,16 @@ def do_tag(repo, tag_prefix, commitish, merge_base_id, onto, force):
 def do_reconstruct(repo, tag_prefix, commitish, merge_base_id, force):
     versions=()
     repo.checkout_commitish(merge_base_id)
-    cp = repo.git_run(
+    stdout, _ = repo.git_run(
         [
             'rev-list',
             '--ancestry-path',
             '--reverse',
             '%s..%s' % (merge_base_id, commitish),
-        ]
+        ],
+        decode=False,
     )
-    for commit in cp.stdout.split(b'\n'):
+    for commit in stdout.split(b'\n'):
         commit = decode_binary(commit).strip()
         # empty newline
         if len(commit) == 0:
@@ -153,14 +154,13 @@ def do_reconstruct(repo, tag_prefix, commitish, merge_base_id, force):
         args += [str(obj.id)]
         repo.git_run(args)
     try:
-        cp = repo.git_run(['diff', '--exit-code', commitish])
+        repo.git_run(['diff', '--exit-code', commitish])
     except:
         logging.error(
             "Resulting cleaned-up commit is not "
             "source-identical to %s",
             commitish
         )
-        logging.error(decode_binary(cp.stdout))
         raise ReconstructException("Failed to reconstruct commit.")
 
     old_head_version, _ = repo.get_changelog_versions_from_treeish(commitish)
@@ -237,14 +237,13 @@ def do_reconstruct_changelog(repo, onto, release, bug):
                         fp.write(' (LP: #%s)' % bug)
                     fp.write('. Remaining changes:\n')
                     # merge-changelogs is HEAD
-                    cp = repo.git_run(
+                    stdout, _ = repo.git_run(
                         ['rev-list', '--reverse', '%s..HEAD^' % onto,]
                     )
-                    for rev in decode_binary(cp.stdout).splitlines():
-                        cp = repo.git_run(
+                    for rev in stdout.splitlines():
+                        out, _ = repo.git_run(
                             ['log', '--pretty=%B', '-n', '1', rev,]
                         )
-                        out = decode_binary(cp.stdout)
                         look_for_marker = False
                         if '--CL--' in out:
                             look_for_marker = True
@@ -432,10 +431,10 @@ def main(
             return 1
         onto_obj = repo.get_commitish(onto)
 
-    cp = run(['git', 'status', '--porcelain'])
-    if len(cp.stdout) > 0:
+    stdout, _ = run(['git', 'status', '--porcelain'])
+    if len(stdout) > 0:
         logging.error('Working tree must be clean to continue:')
-        logging.error(decode_binary(cp.stdout))
+        logging.error(stdout)
         return 1
 
     merge_base_id = repo.raw_repo.merge_base(
diff --git a/gitubuntu/remote.py b/gitubuntu/remote.py
index 4526e3f..6e21b5f 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/remote.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/remote.py
@@ -25,37 +25,66 @@ def parse_args(subparsers=None, base_subparsers=None):
         parser.set_defaults(func=cli_main)
     else:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(**kwargs)
-    parser.add_argument('subsubcommand',
-                        help='add - Add a launchpad user\'s repository as a remote',
-                        metavar='add',
-                        choices=['add'])
-    parser.add_argument('user', type=str,
-                        help='Launchpad user to add as a remote')
-    parser.add_argument('url', type=str,
-                        help='Specify URL to add as a remote. If '
-                             'not specified, a URL is derived from '
-                             'USER and the repository source package.',
-                        default=None,
-                        nargs='?')
-    parser.add_argument('--directory', type=str,
-                        help='Local git directory to modify. If not '
-                             'specified, the current directory is '
-                             'assumed')
-    parser.add_argument('-l', '--lp-user', type=str,
-                        help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
-    parser.add_argument('-r', '--remote-name', type=str,
-                        help='Specify remote name. If not '
-                             'specified the remote will be named '
-                             'after the user argument.')
-    parser.add_argument('--no-fetch', action='store_true',
-                        help='Do not fetch the remote after adding')
-    parser.add_argument('--package', type=str,
-                        help='Specify the source package rather than '
-                             'automatically determining it from '
-                             'debian/changelog')
+    known_subcommands = {
+        'add': 'Add a launchpad user\'s repository as a remote',
+    }
+    subsubparsers = parser.add_subparsers(
+        dest='subsubcommand',
+        help='',
+        # this will look off until more than one subcommand exists
+        metavar='%s' % '|'.join(sorted(known_subcommands.keys())),
+    )
+    add_parser = subsubparsers.add_parser(
+        'add',
+        help=known_subcommands['add']
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        'user',
+        type=str,
+        help="Launchpad user to add as a remote. If 'debian', parse "
+             "pkg/ubuntu/devel:debian/control for either "
+             "X-Debian-Vcs-Git or Vcs-Git. If found, add it as a remote "
+             "named 'debian'.",
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        'url',
+        type=str,
+        help="Specify URL to add as a remote. If not specified, a URL is "
+             "derived from USER and the repository source package.",
+        default=None,
+        nargs='?',
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        '--directory',
+        type=str,
+        help="Local git directory to modify. If not specified, the "
+             "current directory is assumed.",
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        '-l', '--lp-user',
+        type=str,
+        help=argparse.SUPPRESS
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        '-r',  '--remote-name',
+        type=str,
+        help="Specify remote name. If not specified the remote will be "
+             "named after the user argument.",
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        '--no-fetch',
+        action='store_true',
+        help="Do not fetch the remote after adding",
+    )
+    add_parser.add_argument(
+        '--package',
+        type=str,
+        help="Specify the source package rather than automatically "
+             "determining it from debian/changelog.",
+    )
     if not subparsers:
         return parser.parse_args()
-    return 'remote - %s' % kwargs['description']
+    return "remote - %s" % kwargs['description']
 
 def cli_main(args):
     if args.directory is not None:
@@ -75,6 +104,68 @@ def cli_main(args):
         args.proto,
     )
 
+def do_add_debian(repo, package, no_fetch=False):
+    """add a Debian remote to a repository
+
+    Parses debian/control in pkg/ubuntu/devel, and uses the value of:
+    1) X-Debian-Vcs-Git
+    or
+    2) Vcs-Git, only if there is no X-Debian-Vcs-Git
+
+    as the URL for a remote named Debian.
+
+    @repo: GitUbuntuRepository to modify
+    @package: source package name (XXX: is this derive-able from @repo?)
+    @no_fetch: if True, do not fetch the remote after adding it
+    """
+    remote_name = 'debian'
+
+    control_file = None
+    try:
+        control_file = repo.extract_file_from_treeish(
+            treeish_string='pkg/ubuntu/devel',
+            filename='debian/control',
+        )
+        control_file.seek(0)
+        x_debian_vcs_git = None
+        vcs_git = None
+        for line in control_file:
+            line = decode_binary(line)
+            if line.startswith('X-Debian-Vcs-Git:'):
+                _, x_debian_vcs_git = line.split(':', 1)
+                x_debian_vcs_git = x_debian_vcs_git.strip()
+                break
+            if line.startswith('Vcs-Git:'):
+                _, vcs_git = line.split(':', 1)
+                vcs_git = vcs_git.strip()
+
+        if not x_debian_vcs_git and not vcs_git:
+            logging.error(
+                "Unable to find any Vcs metadata in "
+                "pkg/ubuntu/devel:debian/control."
+            )
+            return 1
+
+        url = x_debian_vcs_git if x_debian_vcs_git else vcs_git
+        repo.add_remote_by_url(remote_name, url)
+    finally:
+        if control_file:
+            control_file.close()
+
+    if not no_fetch:
+        try:
+            repo.fetch_remote(remote_name, verbose=True)
+        except GitUbuntuRepositoryFetchError:
+            pass
+
+    logging.debug(
+        "added remote '%s' -> %s",
+        remote_name,
+        repo.raw_repo.remotes[remote_name].url,
+    )
+
+    return 0
+
 def do_add(repo, package, user, url=None, remote_name=None, no_fetch=False):
     """add a remote to a repository
 
@@ -94,7 +185,7 @@ def do_add(repo, package, user, url=None, remote_name=None, no_fetch=False):
         remote_name = user
 
     if url:
-        repo.git_run(['remote', 'add', remote_name, url])
+        repo.add_remote_by_url(remote_name, url)
     else:
         repo.add_remote(
             pkgname=package,
@@ -133,6 +224,9 @@ def main(
     @package: string name of source package
     @url: the string URL of the remote to add
     @lp_user: string user to authenticate to Launchpad as
+    @directory: directory containing git repository to modify
+    @remote_name: name of remote
+    @no_fetch: do not fetch remote after modifying it
     @proto: string protocol to use (one of 'http', 'https', 'git')
 
     If package is None, it will be derived from HEAD's debian/changelog.
@@ -181,7 +275,10 @@ def main(
             return 1
 
     if subcommand == 'add':
-        return do_add(repo, package, user, url, remote_name, no_fetch)
+        if user == 'debian':
+            return do_add_debian(repo, package, no_fetch)
+        else:
+            return do_add(repo, package, user, url, remote_name, no_fetch)
 
     return 1
 
diff --git a/gitubuntu/review.py b/gitubuntu/review.py
index 8e252d5..3a02c62 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/review.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/review.py
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ def main(clone, url, add_comment):
             target_user
         )
         return 1
+    if 'applied' in target_branch:
+        logging.error(
+            "Upload tagging a patches-applied upload is not supported."
+        )
 
     source_url = mp.source_git_repository.git_https_url
     source_branch = mp.source_git_path[len('refs/heads/'):]
diff --git a/gitubuntu/run.py b/gitubuntu/run.py
index 098438c..2f6fa53 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/run.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/run.py
@@ -54,34 +54,51 @@ def run(
     try:
         logging.debug("Executing: %s", pcmd)
         if input:
-            return subprocess.run(
+            cp = subprocess.run(
                 args, env=env, check=check, shell=shell,
                 input=input,
                 stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr)
         else:
-            return subprocess.run(
+            cp = subprocess.run(
                 args, env=env, check=check, shell=shell,
                 stdout=stdout, stderr=stderr, stdin=stdin)
+        ret = cp
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
         not_captured = "[Not captured]\n"
-        err = not_captured
         out = not_captured
-        if stderr is subprocess.PIPE:
-            err = e.stderr.decode(errors="replace")
+        err = not_captured
         if stdout is subprocess.PIPE:
-            out = e.stdout.decode(errors="replace")
-        if verbose_on_failure and e.returncode not in rcs:
-            logging.error("Command exited %d: %s", e.returncode, pcmd)
-            logging.error("stdout: %s",
-                out.rstrip().replace("\n", "\n  "))
-            logging.error("stderr: %s",
-                err.rstrip().replace("\n", "\n  "))
-        raise e
+            out = e.stdout.decode(errors='replace')
+        if stderr is subprocess.PIPE:
+            err = e.stderr.decode(errors='replace')
+        if e.returncode not in rcs:
+            if verbose_on_failure:
+                logging.error("Command exited %d: %s", e.returncode, pcmd)
+                logging.error(
+                    "stdout: %s",
+                    out.replace("\n", "\n  "),
+                )
+                logging.error(
+                    "stderr: %s",
+                    err.replace("\n", "\n  "),
+                )
+            raise e
+        ret = e
+        pass
 
+    if decode:
+        out = decode_binary(ret.stdout)
+        err = decode_binary(ret.stderr)
+        return (
+            out if out is None else out.strip(),
+            err if err is None else err.strip(),
+        )
+    else:
+        return (ret.stdout, ret.stderr)
 
 def decode_binary(binary, verbose=True):
     try:
-        return binary.decode('utf-8')
+        return binary if binary is None else binary.decode('utf-8')
     except UnicodeDecodeError as e:
         if verbose:
             logging.warning("Failed to decode blob: %s", e)
diff --git a/gitubuntu/versioning.py b/gitubuntu/versioning.py
index 3a5dc53..7b1eb7b 100644
--- a/gitubuntu/versioning.py
+++ b/gitubuntu/versioning.py
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ import functools
 import logging
 import re
 import sys
-from gitubuntu.source_information import GitUbuntuSourceInformation
+from gitubuntu.source_information import (
+    GitUbuntuSourceInformation,
+    NoPublicationHistoryException,
+)
 
 try:
     pkg = 'python3-debian'
@@ -218,10 +221,13 @@ def max_version(lp_series_object, pkgname):
     and series
     """
     ubuntu_source_information = GitUbuntuSourceInformation('ubuntu', pkgname)
-    for spi in ubuntu_source_information.launchpad_versions_published(
-        sorted_by_version=True, series=lp_series_object
-    ):
-        return Version(spi.version)
+    try:
+        for spi in ubuntu_source_information.launchpad_versions_published(
+            sorted_by_version=True, series=lp_series_object
+        ):
+            return Version(spi.version)
+    except NoPublicationHistoryException:
+        return None
 
 
 def next_sru_version_string(lp_series_object, pkgname):
@@ -301,6 +307,9 @@ def test_next_development_version_string(test_input, expected):
     (['1.0-1'], '16.04', '1.0-1ubuntu1', ['1.0-1ubuntu11'], '1.0-1ubuntu1.1'),
     (['1.0-1'], '16.04', '1.0-2ubuntu1', ['1.0-2ubuntu11'], '1.0-2ubuntu1.1'),
     ([], '16.04', '1.0-2ubuntu1', ['2.0-2ubuntu1'], '1.0-2ubuntu1.1'),
+    (['1.0.1-0ubuntu0.16.04.1', None, None,], '17.04', '1.0.1-0ubuntu1', ['1.0.1-1ubuntu2', '1.0.1-1ubuntu2',], '1.0.1-0ubuntu1.1'),
+    ([None, None,], '17.04', '1.0.1-0ubuntu1', ['1.0.1-1ubuntu2', '1.0.1-1ubuntu2',], '1.0.1-0ubuntu1.1'),
+    ([None, None,], '17.04', '1.0.1-0ubuntu1', [None, None,], '1.0.1-0ubuntu1.1'),
 ])
 def test__next_sru_version(befores, series_string, current, afters, expected):
     assert _next_sru_version(
diff --git a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build-source.1 b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build-source.1
index a9131d8..6ee03ec 100644
--- a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build-source.1
+++ b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build-source.1
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ git-ubuntu build-source \- Build source packages
 .NF
 \fIgit ubuntu build-source\fR [\-\-dl-cache <dl_cache>] [\-\-sign]
 [\-\-for-merge] [\-\-no-pristine-tar] [\-\-no-lxd] [\-\-keep-build-env]
-[\-\-lxd-profile <profile>] [\-\-lxd-image <image>] [-- \&.\&.\&.]
+[\-\-lxd-profile <profile>] [\-\-lxd-image <image>]
+[\-\-commitish <commitish>] [-- \&.\&.\&.]
 .FI
 .SP
 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
@@ -83,6 +84,12 @@ By default, the image is derived from the distribution and series
 targetted by debian/changelog of the source package to build\&.
 .RE
 .PP
+\-\-commitish <commitish>
+.RS 4
+The commitish to build in the Git repository\&.
+If not specified, HEAD will be built\&.
+.RE
+.PP
 \-\- \&.\&.\&.
 .RS 4
 Any arguments after "--" are passed on verbatim to
diff --git a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build.1 b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build.1
index 3a24ccf..9b719cb 100644
--- a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build.1
+++ b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-build.1
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ git-ubuntu build \- Build packages
 .NF
 \fIgit ubuntu build\fR [\-\-dl-cache <dl_cache>] [\-\-sign]
 [\-\-for-merge] [\-\-no-pristine-tar] [\-\-no-lxd] [\-\-keep-build-env]
-[\-\-lxd-profile <profile>] [\-\-lxd-image <image>] [-- \&.\&.\&.]
+[\-\-lxd-profile <profile>] [\-\-lxd-image <image>]
+[\-\-commitish <commitish>] [-- \&.\&.\&.]
 .FI
 .SP
 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
@@ -81,6 +82,12 @@ By default, the image is derived from the distribution and series
 targetted by debian/changelog of the source package to build\&.
 .RE
 .PP
+\-\-commitish <commitish>
+.RS 4
+The commitish to build in the Git repository\&.
+If not specified, HEAD will be built\&.
+.RE
+.PP
 \-\- \&.\&.\&.
 .RS 4
 Any arguments after "--" are passed on verbatim to
diff --git a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import-ppa.1 b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import-ppa.1
index d302464..318cd5a 100644
--- a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import-ppa.1
+++ b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import-ppa.1
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ git-ubuntu import-ppa\- Import a DSC file to Git
 .NF
 \fIgit ubuntu import-ppa\fR [\-l | \-\-lp-user <user>]
 [\-d | \-\-directory <directory>] [\-\-skip-orig]
-[\-\-dl-cache <dl_cache>] <ppa> <package>
+[\-\-allow-applied-failures] [\-\-dl-cache <dl_cache>] <ppa> <package>
 .FI
 .SP
 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
@@ -48,6 +48,21 @@ This option can be useful for \fBgit-ubuntu\fR(1) developers when
 debugging issues with "gbp" or "pristine-tar"\&.
 .RE
 .PP
+\-\-allow-applied-failures
+.RS 4
+Do not treat a patch application as a hard failure when importing the
+patches-applied history\&.
+As \fBdpkg-source\fR(1)'s (or other tool's) behavior has evolved over
+time, it is possible that the version used by \fBgit ubuntu import\fR
+is not able to reproduce the patch application of a historical
+publication\&.
+By default, such a failure will stop the historical import for the
+patches-applied branch, to allow a \fBgit ubuntu\fR developer to
+investigate\&.
+After investigation, this flag can be used to indicate the importer is
+allowed to ignore such a failure\&.
+.RE
+.PP
 <ppa>
 .RS 4
 The name of the PPA to import from\&.
diff --git a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import.1 b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import.1
index 129ecd9..c73f7ce 100644
--- a/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import.1
+++ b/man/man1/git-ubuntu-import.1
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ git-ubuntu import \- Import Launchpad publishing history to Git
 <user>] [\-\-dl-cache <dl_cache>] [\-\-no-fetch] [\-\-no-push]
 [\-\-no-clean] [\-d | \-\-directory <directory>] [\-\-fixup-devel]
 [\-\-active-series-only] [\-\-skip-applied] [\-\-skip-orig]
-[\-\-reimport] <package>
+[\-\-reimport] [\-\-allow-applied-failures] <package>
 .FI
 .SP
 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
@@ -198,6 +198,21 @@ occurred) and forcibly \fBgit-push\fR the resulting repository to
 .RE
 .RE
 .PP
+\-\-allow-applied-failures
+.RS 4
+Do not treat a patch application as a hard failure when importing the
+patches-applied history\&.
+As \fBdpkg-source\fR(1)'s (or other tool's) behavior has evolved over
+time, it is possible that the version used by \fBgit ubuntu import\fR
+is not able to reproduce the patch application of a historical
+publication\&.
+By default, such a failure will stop the historical import for the
+patches-applied branch, to allow a \fBgit ubuntu\fR developer to
+investigate\&.
+After investigation, this flag can be used to indicate the importer is
+allowed to ignore such a failure\&.
+.RE
+.PP
 <package>
 .RS 4
 The name of the source package to import\&.
diff --git a/man/man1/git-ubuntu.1 b/man/man1/git-ubuntu.1
index 09230bb..9817e87 100644
--- a/man/man1/git-ubuntu.1
+++ b/man/man1/git-ubuntu.1
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ Useful for debugging and seeing what underlying commands are run\&.
 \-\-retries <num_retries>
 .RS 4
 Number of retries to attempt for network interactions with Launchpad\&.
-The default is 3 retry attempts\&.
+The default is 5 retry attempts\&.
 .RE
 .PP
 \-\-retry-backoffs <backoff,\&.\&.\&.>
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 75222db..ab91ab9 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ setup(name='gitubuntu',
         'python-debian==0.1.31',
         'pygit2==0.24.2',
         'launchpadlib==1.10.5',
+        'petname',
         'setuptools',
         'keyrings.alt==2.2',
         'lazr.restfulclient==0.13.5',
diff --git a/snap/snapcraft.yaml b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
index b18d430..6ddda16 100644
--- a/snap/snapcraft.yaml
+++ b/snap/snapcraft.yaml
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ apps:
       environment:
          LD_LIBRARY_PATH: "$SNAP/usr/lib/man-db:$SNAP/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$SNAP/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
          PATH: "$SNAP/usr/local/sbin:$SNAP/usr/local/bin:$SNAP/usr/sbin:$SNAP/usr/bin:$SNAP/sbin:$SNAP/bin:$CORE_SNAP_PATH"
+   reconstruct-changelog:
+      command: wrappers/git-reconstruct-changelog
+   merge-changelogs:
+      command: wrappers/git-merge-changelogs
 
 parts:
    gbp:
@@ -206,57 +210,6 @@ parts:
       stage-packages:
          - distro-info
       after: [python3]
-   libgpg-error:
-      plugin: autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/libgpg-error/libgpg-error-1.27.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags: [--prefix=/usr]
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
-   libgcrypt:
-      plugin: autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/libgcrypt/libgcrypt-1.8.1.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags: [--prefix=/usr]
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
-   libassuan:
-      plugin: autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/libassuan/libassuan-2.4.3.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags: [--prefix=/usr]
-      after: [libgpg-error]
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
-   libksba:
-      plugin: autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/libksba/libksba-1.3.5.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags: [--prefix=/usr]
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
-   npth:
-      plugin:  autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/npth/npth-1.5.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags: [--prefix=/usr]
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
-   gnupg2:
-      plugin: autotools
-      source: https://gnupg.org/ftp/gcrypt/gnupg/gnupg-2.2.1.tar.bz2
-      source-type: tar
-      configflags:
-         - --prefix=/usr
-         - --enable-gpg2-is-gpg
-      after:
-         - libgpg-error
-         - libgcrypt
-         - libassuan
-         - libksba
-         - npth
-      stage:
-         - -usr/share/info
    devscripts:
       plugin: nil
       stage-packages:
@@ -276,7 +229,6 @@ parts:
          - -usr/bin/xzgrep
          - -usr/bin/xzless
          - -usr/bin/xzmore
-      after: [gnupg2]
    git-ubuntu:
       plugin: python
       python-version: python3
@@ -299,14 +251,6 @@ parts:
          - -lib/python3.6/site-packages/oauth*
          - -lib/python3.6/site-packages/launchpadlib*
          - -usr/lib/python3.6
-         - -usr/bin/gpg-error*
-         - -usr/share/aclocal/gpg-error.m4
-         - -usr/bin/dumpsexp
-         - -usr/bin/hmac256
-         - -usr/bin/libgcrypt-config
-         - -usr/bin/mpicalc
-         - -usr/include/gcrypt.h
-         - -usr/share/aclocal/libgcrypt.m4
       prime:
          - -usr/share/doc
       install: |
diff --git a/snap/wrappers/git-merge-changelogs b/snap/wrappers/git-merge-changelogs
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..89af38d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/snap/wrappers/git-merge-changelogs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/snap/core/current/bin/bash
+
+CORE_SNAP="/snap/core/current"
+CORE_SNAP_PATH="$CORE_SNAP/usr/local/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/local/bin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/bin:$CORE_SNAP/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/bin"
+export PATH="$SNAP/bin/snap:$SNAP/usr/local/sbin:$SNAP/usr/local/bin:$SNAP/usr/sbin:$SNAP/usr/bin:$SNAP/sbin:$SNAP/bin:$CORE_SNAP_PATH"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$SNAP/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$SNAP/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$CORE_SNAP/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$CORE_SNAP/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+exec "$SNAP/bin/git-merge-changelogs" "$@"
diff --git a/snap/wrappers/git-reconstruct-changelog b/snap/wrappers/git-reconstruct-changelog
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..356b1eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/snap/wrappers/git-reconstruct-changelog
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/snap/core/current/bin/bash
+
+CORE_SNAP="/snap/core/current"
+CORE_SNAP_PATH="$CORE_SNAP/usr/local/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/local/bin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/usr/bin:$CORE_SNAP/sbin:$CORE_SNAP/bin"
+export PATH="$SNAP/bin/snap:$SNAP/usr/local/sbin:$SNAP/usr/local/bin:$SNAP/usr/sbin:$SNAP/usr/bin:$SNAP/sbin:$SNAP/bin:$CORE_SNAP_PATH"
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$SNAP/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$SNAP/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$CORE_SNAP/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$CORE_SNAP/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu"
+exec "$SNAP/bin/git-reconstruct-changelog" "$@"