diff --git a/spec/treeCompare.spec.js b/spec/treeCompare.spec.js
index ecb6dbb0..9fa03173 100644
--- a/spec/treeCompare.spec.js
+++ b/spec/treeCompare.spec.js
@@ -9,10 +9,13 @@ var loadTree = function(treeString) {
   return TreeCompare.convertTreeSafe(treeString);
 };
 
-var testMethod = function(compareMethod, goalTreeString, cases) {
+var testMethod = function(compareMethod, goalTreeString, cases, options) {
   cases = cases || {};
-  // always expect the goal to compare to itself correctly
-  cases[goalTreeString] = true;
+  options = options || {};
+  if (!options.dontCompareGoal) {
+    // always expect the goal to compare to itself correctly
+    cases[goalTreeString] = true;
+  }
 
   _.each(cases, function(value, actualTree) {
     var isEqual = TreeCompare.dispatch(compareMethod, goalTreeString, actualTree);
@@ -26,6 +29,62 @@ var testMethod = function(compareMethod, goalTreeString, cases) {
 };
 
 describe('Tree Compare', function() {
+  it('will return false early if goal missing origin', function() {
+    testMethod(
+      {}, // checked for all methods
+      '{}', // no origin tree
+      {
+        '{"originTree":{}}': false
+      }, {
+        dontCompareGoal: true
+      }
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('will return false early if current missing origin', function() {
+    testMethod(
+      {}, // checked for all methods
+      '{"originTree":{}}',
+      {
+        '{}': false
+      }, {
+        dontCompareGoal: true
+      }
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('deep compares on origin tree', function() {
+    testMethod(
+      {}, // checked for all methods so this doesnt matter
+      // state with originTree
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C1","id":"master","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 09:58:50 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 09:58:50 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}',
+      {
+        // one extra commit in origin
+        '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C1","id":"master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C2","id":"master","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 10:24:50 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 10:24:50 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"},"C2":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 10:24:55 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}': false,
+        // extra commit local
+        '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C2","id":"master"},"o/master":{"target":"C1","id":"o/master"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C1","id":"master","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:31:20 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:31:20 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}': false
+      }
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('uses originCompare for the origin comparison results', function() {
+    testMethod({
+        // compare all branches and head locally, but only master remotely
+        originCompare: {
+          compareOnlyMaster: true
+        }
+      },
+      // start with a local / origin with two branches
+      '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C3","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C2","id":"side"},"o/master":{"target":"C3","id":"o/master"},"o/side":{"target":"C2","id":"o/side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C3","id":"master","type":"branch"},"side":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C2","id":"side","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"},"C2":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C2"},"C3":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}',
+      {
+        // committing remotely on other branch is fine
+        '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C3","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C2","id":"side"},"o/master":{"target":"C3","id":"o/master"},"o/side":{"target":"C2","id":"o/side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C3","id":"master","type":"branch"},"side":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C4","id":"side","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"},"C2":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C2"},"C3":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C3"},"C4":{"type":"commit","parents":["C2"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:35:38 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C4"}},"HEAD":{"target":"side","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}': true,
+        // but committing on master is not ok
+        '{"branches":{"master":{"target":"C3","id":"master"},"side":{"target":"C2","id":"side"},"o/master":{"target":"C3","id":"o/master"},"o/side":{"target":"C2","id":"o/side"}},"commits":{"C0":{"parents":[],"id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"parents":["C0"],"id":"C1"},"C2":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C2"},"C3":{"parents":["C1"],"id":"C3"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD"},"originTree":{"branches":{"master":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C5","id":"master","type":"branch"},"side":{"remoteTrackingBranch":null,"remote":false,"target":"C4","id":"side","type":"branch"}},"commits":{"C0":{"type":"commit","parents":[],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C0","rootCommit":true},"C1":{"type":"commit","parents":["C0"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C1"},"C2":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C2"},"C3":{"type":"commit","parents":["C1"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:34:45 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C3"},"C4":{"type":"commit","parents":["C2"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:35:38 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C4"},"C5":{"type":"commit","parents":["C3"],"author":"Peter Cottle","createTime":"Wed Jul 24 2013 12:37:44 GMT-0700 (PDT)","commitMessage":"Quick commit. Go Bears!","id":"C5"}},"HEAD":{"target":"master","id":"HEAD","type":"general ref"}}}': false
+      }
+    );
+  });
+
   it('has default behavior to check all branches and master', function() {
     testMethod(
       {}, // default method, which is compare all branches and HEAD
diff --git a/src/js/git/treeCompare.js b/src/js/git/treeCompare.js
index 91392b81..58144167 100644
--- a/src/js/git/treeCompare.js
+++ b/src/js/git/treeCompare.js
@@ -21,22 +21,56 @@ TreeCompare.onlyMasterCompared = function(levelBlob) {
 };
 
 TreeCompare.dispatch = function(levelBlob, goalTreeString, treeToCompare) {
+  var goalTree = this.convertTreeSafe(goalTreeString);
+  treeToCompare = this.convertTreeSafe(treeToCompare);
+  if (typeof goalTree.originTree !== typeof treeToCompare.originTree) {
+    // origin status does not match
+    return false;
+  }
+  var shallowResult = this.dispatchShallow(
+    levelBlob, goalTree, treeToCompare
+  );
+  if (!shallowResult || !goalTree.originTree) {
+    // we only have one level (or failed on shallow), punt
+    return shallowResult;
+  }
+
+  var originBlob = (levelBlob.originCompare) ?
+    levelBlob.originCompare : levelBlob;
+  // compare origin trees
+  return shallowResult && this.dispatchShallow(
+    originBlob, goalTree.originTree, treeToCompare.originTree
+  );
+};
+
+TreeCompare.dispatchShallow = function(levelBlob, goalTreeString, treeToCompare) {
   var getAroundLintTrue = true;
   // i actually prefer this to else if
   switch (getAroundLintTrue) {
     case !!levelBlob.compareOnlyMaster:
-      return TreeCompare.compareBranchWithinTrees(treeToCompare, goalTreeString, 'master');
+      return TreeCompare.compareBranchWithinTrees(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString, 'master'
+      );
     case !!levelBlob.compareOnlyBranches:
-      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTrees(treeToCompare, goalTreeString);
+      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTrees(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString
+      );
     case !!levelBlob.compareAllBranchesHashAgnostic:
-      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(treeToCompare, goalTreeString);
+      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString
+      );
     case !!levelBlob.compareOnlyMasterHashAgnostic:
-      return TreeCompare.compareBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(treeToCompare, goalTreeString, ['master']);
+      return TreeCompare.compareBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString, ['master']
+      );
     case !!levelBlob.compareOnlyMasterHashAgnosticWithAsserts:
-      return TreeCompare.compareBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(treeToCompare, goalTreeString, ['master']) &&
-        TreeCompare.evalAsserts(treeToCompare, levelBlob.goalAsserts);
+      return TreeCompare.compareBranchesWithinTreesHashAgnostic(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString, ['master']
+      ) && TreeCompare.evalAsserts(treeToCompare, levelBlob.goalAsserts);
     default:
-      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTreesAndHEAD(treeToCompare, goalTreeString);
+      return TreeCompare.compareAllBranchesWithinTreesAndHEAD(
+        treeToCompare, goalTreeString
+      );
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index abed81cf..fa47be62 100644
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -21,12 +21,10 @@ Easier origin things:
     - git push takes in an argument, and has to check if the remote branch exists, and makes
       it otherwise (after pushing)
 [ ] finally work on an upload / download animation
-[ ] do a cute uploading thing
 
 Origin things:
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 [ ] set checkout -b branch __remoteBranch to track the remote branch
-[ ] tree comparison with origin.... sigh
 [ ] prototype visual layout (background change + header? maybe...)
 
 Medium things:
@@ -50,6 +48,7 @@ Ideas for cleaning
 Done things:
 (I only started this on Dec 17th 2012 to get a better sense of what was done)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+[x] tree comparison with origin.... done! not too bad
 [x] green refactor tree compare to have map
 [x] increase test coverage over everything
     - unit and integration, but mostly for git operations