diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index 1ed94b8..5490480 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -68,15 +68,16 @@ func processCmd(params []string, dir string, conf *config, flags int) error {
 		cmdArgs = args[1:]
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command(cmdName, cmdArgs...)
-	cmd.Dir = dir
-	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
-
 	if flags&flagVerbose != 0 {
 		log.Printf("executing command: %s %s", cmdName, strings.Join(cmdArgs, " "))
 	}
 
-	return cmd.Run()
+	return try(func() error {
+		cmd := exec.Command(cmdName, cmdArgs...)
+		cmd.Dir = dir
+		cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+		cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+		cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
+		return cmd.Run()
+	})
 }
diff --git a/link.go b/link.go
index b112735..418d4b2 100644
--- a/link.go
+++ b/link.go
@@ -32,15 +32,8 @@ import (
 
 func cleanPath(loc string, flags int) error {
 	if info, _ := os.Lstat(loc); info != nil {
-		if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink != 0 {
-			if flags&flagVerbose != 0 {
-				log.Printf("removing symlink: %s", loc)
-			}
-			if err := os.Remove(loc); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		} else {
-			if flags&flagClobber != 0 {
+		if info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink == 0 {
+			if flags&flagClobber != 0 || prompt("clobber path", loc) {
 				if flags&flagVerbose != 0 {
 					log.Printf("clobbering path: %s", loc)
 				}
@@ -48,6 +41,13 @@ func cleanPath(loc string, flags int) error {
 					return err
 				}
 			}
+		} else {
+			if flags&flagVerbose != 0 {
+				log.Printf("removing symlink: %s", loc)
+			}
+			if err := os.Remove(loc); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -55,9 +55,10 @@ func cleanPath(loc string, flags int) error {
 }
 
 func createPath(loc string, flags int, mode os.FileMode) error {
-	if flags&flagForce != 0 {
-		parentDir, _ := path.Split(loc)
-		if _, err := os.Stat(parentDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	parentDir := path.Dir(loc)
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(parentDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		if flags&flagForce != 0 || prompt("force create path", parentDir) {
 			if flags&flagVerbose != 0 {
 				log.Printf("force creating path: %s", parentDir)
 			}
@@ -118,11 +119,11 @@ func processLink(params []string, srcDir, dstDir string, flags int) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("source path %s does not exist in filesystem", srcPathAbs)
 	}
 
-	if err := createPath(dstPathAbs, flags, mode); err != nil {
+	if err := try(func() error { return createPath(dstPathAbs, flags, mode) }); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := cleanPath(dstPathAbs, flags); err != nil {
+	if err := try(func() error { return cleanPath(dstPathAbs, flags) }); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -130,9 +131,7 @@ func processLink(params []string, srcDir, dstDir string, flags int) error {
 		log.Printf("linking %s to %s", srcPathAbs, dstPathAbs)
 	}
 
-	if err := os.Symlink(srcPathAbs, dstPathAbs); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return nil
+	return try(func() error {
+		return os.Symlink(srcPathAbs, dstPathAbs)
+	})
 }
diff --git a/util.go b/util.go
index ec03f53..e977894 100644
--- a/util.go
+++ b/util.go
@@ -23,9 +23,11 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 )
 
 func appendExpEnv(dst, src []string) []string {
@@ -44,3 +46,45 @@ func makeAbsPath(path string) string {
 
 	return path
 }
+
+func prompt(prompts ...string) bool {
+	for {
+		fmt.Printf("%s: [y]es, [n]o? ", strings.Join(prompts, " "))
+
+		var ans string
+		fmt.Scanln(&ans)
+
+		switch strings.ToLower(ans) {
+		case "y":
+			return true
+		case "n":
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func try(task func() error) error {
+	for {
+		err := task()
+		if err == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+	loop:
+		for {
+			fmt.Printf("%s: [a]bort, [r]etry, [c]ancel? ", err)
+
+			var ans string
+			fmt.Scanln(&ans)
+
+			switch strings.ToLower(ans) {
+			case "a":
+				return err
+			case "r":
+				break loop
+			case "c":
+				return nil
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}