diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 57c1d85..5f87508 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ## v9?
 
+- We have moved the root check to the beginning of the script, and improved DEBUG handling with two different modes. `DEBUG=0` is still for production, and `1` is still for the DEBUG we previously knew downloading to the directory it is running from, but `2` will download to temporary folder, will detect updates, but will not install anything, but it will notify the user (almost as running the script without root before).
 
 ## v8.0
 
diff --git a/fragments/arguments.sh b/fragments/arguments.sh
index 26e4192..0f8765f 100644
--- a/fragments/arguments.sh
+++ b/fragments/arguments.sh
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ versionKey="CFBundleShortVersionString"
 # get current user
 currentUser=$(scutil <<< "show State:/Users/ConsoleUser" | awk '/Name :/ { print $3 }')
 
+# MARK: check for root
+if [[ "$(whoami)" != "root" && "$DEBUG" -ne 2 ]]; then
+    # not running as root
+    cleanupAndExit 6 "not running as root, exiting"
+fi
 
 # MARK: labels in case statement
 case $label in
diff --git a/fragments/functions.sh b/fragments/functions.sh
index de47768..f5d5137 100644
--- a/fragments/functions.sh
+++ b/fragments/functions.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ cleanupAndExit() { # $1 = exit code, $2 message
     if [[ -n $2 && $1 -ne 0 ]]; then
         printlog "ERROR: $2"
     fi
-    if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 0 ]; then
+    if [ "$DEBUG" -ne 1 ]; then
         # remove the temporary working directory when done
         printlog "Deleting $tmpDir"
         rm -Rf "$tmpDir"
@@ -198,9 +198,9 @@ getAppVersion() {
 }
 
 checkRunningProcesses() {
-    # don't check in DEBUG mode
-    if [[ $DEBUG -ne 0 ]]; then
-        printlog "DEBUG mode, not checking for blocking processes"
+    # don't check in DEBUG mode 1
+    if [[ $DEBUG -eq 1 ]]; then
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 1, not checking for blocking processes"
         return
     fi
 
@@ -305,9 +305,9 @@ reopenClosedProcess() {
         return
     fi
 
-    # don't reopen in DEBUG mode
-    if [[ $DEBUG -ne 0 ]]; then
-        printlog "DEBUG mode, not reopening anything"
+    # don't reopen in DEBUG mode 1
+    if [[ $DEBUG -eq 1 ]]; then
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 1, not reopening anything"
         return
     fi
     
@@ -364,16 +364,16 @@ installAppWithPath() { # $1: path to app to install in $targetDir
         printlog "Downloaded version of $name is $appNewVersion (replacing version $appversion)."
     fi
 
-    # skip install for DEBUG
-    if [ "$DEBUG" -ne 0 ]; then
-        printlog "DEBUG enabled, skipping remove, copy and chown steps"
+    # skip install for DEBUG 1
+    if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 1 ]; then
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 1 enabled, skipping remove, copy and chown steps"
         return 0
     fi
 
-    # check for root
-    if [ "$(whoami)" != "root" ]; then
-        # not running as root
-        cleanupAndExit 6 "not running as root, exiting"
+    # skip install for DEBUG 2
+    if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 2 ]; then
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 2 enabled, exiting"
+        cleanupAndExit 0
     fi
     
     # Test if variable CLIInstaller is set
@@ -485,16 +485,16 @@ installFromPKG() {
         fi
     fi
     
-    # skip install for DEBUG
-    if [ "$DEBUG" -ne 0 ]; then
+    # skip install for DEBUG 1
+    if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 1 ]; then
         printlog "DEBUG enabled, skipping installation"
         return 0
     fi
 
-    # check for root
-    if [ "$(whoami)" != "root" ]; then
-        # not running as root
-        cleanupAndExit 6 "not running as root, exiting"
+    # skip install for DEBUG 2
+    if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 2 ]; then
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 2 enabled, exiting"
+        cleanupAndExit 0 
     fi
 
     # install pkg
diff --git a/fragments/header.sh b/fragments/header.sh
index 357077d..c41879d 100644
--- a/fragments/header.sh
+++ b/fragments/header.sh
@@ -20,9 +20,11 @@ export PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
 
 # NOTE: adjust these variables:
 
-# set to 0 for production, 1 for debugging
+# set to 0 for production, 1 or 2 for debugging
 # while debugging, items will be downloaded to the parent directory of this script
 # also no actual installation will be performed
+# debug mode 1 will download to the directory the script is run in, but will not check version 
+# debug mode 2 will download to the temp directory, check for blocking processes, check version, but will not install anything or remove the current version
 DEBUG=1
 
 # notify behavior
diff --git a/fragments/main.sh b/fragments/main.sh
index 55cfa52..493e2f7 100644
--- a/fragments/main.sh
+++ b/fragments/main.sh
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ if [[ -z $blockingProcesses ]]; then
 fi
 
 # MARK: determine tmp dir
-if [ "$DEBUG" -ne 0 ]; then
+if [ "$DEBUG" -eq 1 ]; then
     # for debugging use script dir as working directory
     tmpDir=$(dirname "$0")
 else
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fi
 if [[ -n $appNewVersion ]]; then
     printlog "Latest version of $name is $appNewVersion"
     if [[ $appversion == $appNewVersion ]]; then
-        if [[ $DEBUG -eq 0 ]]; then
+        if [[ $DEBUG -ne 1 ]]; then
             printlog "There is no newer version available."
             if [[ $INSTALL != "force" ]]; then
                 message="$name, version $appNewVersion, is  the latest version."
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ if [[ -n $appNewVersion ]]; then
                 cleanupAndExit 0 "No newer version."
             fi
         else
-            printlog "DEBUG mode enabled, not exiting, but there is no new version of app."
+            printlog "DEBUG mode 1 enabled, not exiting, but there is no new version of app."
         fi
     fi
 else
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ fi
 # MARK: check if this is an Update and we can use updateTool
 if [[ (-n $appversion && -n "$updateTool") || "$type" == "updateronly" ]]; then
     printlog "appversion & updateTool"
-    if [[ $DEBUG -eq 0 ]]; then
+    if [[ $DEBUG -ne 1 ]]; then
         if runUpdateTool; then
             finishing
             cleanupAndExit 0
@@ -154,13 +154,13 @@ if [[ (-n $appversion && -n "$updateTool") || "$type" == "updateronly" ]]; then
             cleanupAndExit 0
         fi # otherwise continue
     else
-        printlog "DEBUG mode enabled, not running update tool"
+        printlog "DEBUG mode 1 enabled, not running update tool"
     fi
 fi
 
 # MARK: download the archive
-if [ -f "$archiveName" ] && [ "$DEBUG" -ne 0 ]; then
-    printlog "$archiveName exists and DEBUG enabled, skipping download"
+if [ -f "$archiveName" ] && [ "$DEBUG" -eq 1 ]; then
+    printlog "$archiveName exists and DEBUG mode 1 enabled, skipping download"
 else
     # download the dmg
     printlog "Downloading $downloadURL to $archiveName"