diff --git a/git-open-in-github b/git-open-in-github
index e7da33f..9b999ea 100755
--- a/git-open-in-github
+++ b/git-open-in-github
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+set -e # bail on errors
+
 CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
 REMOTE="${1:-$(git config --get branch.${CURRENT_BRANCH}.remote)}"
 BRANCH="${2:-$CURRENT_BRANCH}"
diff --git a/git-push-feature-branch b/git-push-feature-branch
index 51c8551..0af79e7 100755
--- a/git-push-feature-branch
+++ b/git-push-feature-branch
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 set -e # bail on errors
 
 CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
-REMOTE="${1:-$(git config --get branch.${CURRENT_BRANCH}.remote)}"
+DEFAULT_REMOTE=$(git config --get branch.${CURRENT_BRANCH}.remote || true) # don't fail
+if [[ -z "$DEFAULT_REMOTE" ]]; then
+  DEFAULT_REMOTE=$(git config --get branch.master.remote)
+fi
+REMOTE="${1:-$DEFAULT_REMOTE}"
 BRANCH="${2:-$CURRENT_BRANCH}"
 
 git update "$REMOTE" develop
diff --git a/git-update b/git-update
index 2809b68..4c42b2a 100755
--- a/git-update
+++ b/git-update
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ function current_branch() {
 }
 
 ORIG_BRANCH=$(current_branch)
-REMOTE="${1:-$(git config --get branch.${ORIG_BRANCH}.remote)}"
+DEFAULT_REMOTE=$(git config --get branch.master.remote)
+REMOTE="${1:-$DEFAULT_REMOTE}"
 if [[ "$ORIG_BRANCH" = "HEAD" ]]; then
   echo "Cannot update in a detached HEAD state"
   exit 1