diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 073107a..71dd675 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -88,5 +88,11 @@ func UseFilesystem() afero.Fs {
   }
 }
 
-// TODO: this can probably be removed
+func CheckIfError(err error) {
+  if err != nil {
+    panic(err)
+  }
+  return
+}
+
 
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index e8ebdc4..dfbc84f 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/Marcusk19/bender
 
-go 1.22.0
+go 1.21.0
 
 require (
 	github.com/go-git/go-git/v5 v5.11.0