diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 95e53d6..7cbcf65 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 repos:
     - repo: https://github.com/golangci/golangci-lint.git
-      rev: v1.31.0
+      rev: v1.32.1
       hooks:
           - id: golangci-lint
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 689d4fb..b40be80 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ Contents:
       clone:
         localpath: <local base path for repositories to clone in> # default "."
         branch: <checkout branch> # default master
+        force: <false|true> # remove directory if it exists. default false
 ```
 
 Example:
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ algdati:
     clone:
       localpath: /tmp
       branch: develop
+      clone: true
 ```
 
 ## Usage
diff --git a/cmd/clone.go b/cmd/clone.go
index bc3795b..2f5fa34 100644
--- a/cmd/clone.go
+++ b/cmd/clone.go
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ var (
 			if len(Localpath) > 0 {
 				assignmentConfig.SetLocalpath(Localpath)
 			}
+			if Force {
+				assignmentConfig.SetForce()
+			}
 			assignmentConfig.Show()
 			fmt.Println(aurora.Magenta("Config okay? Press 'Enter' to continue or 'Ctrl-C' to stop ..."))
 			fmt.Scanln()
@@ -33,10 +36,12 @@ var (
 	}
 	Localpath string
 	Branch    string
+	Force     bool
 )
 
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(cloneCmd)
 	cloneCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&Localpath, "path", "p", "", "clone in this directory")
 	cloneCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&Branch, "branch", "b", "", "checkout branch after cloning")
+	cloneCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&Force, "force", "f", false, "remove directory if it already exists")
 }
diff --git a/config/assignment.go b/config/assignment.go
index c3836b8..c2bd166 100644
--- a/config/assignment.go
+++ b/config/assignment.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ type Startercode struct {
 type Clone struct {
 	LocalPath string
 	Branch    string
+	Force     bool
 }
 
 type Group struct {
@@ -257,9 +258,12 @@ func clone(assignmentKey string) *Clone {
 		branch = "master"
 	}
 
+	force := viper.GetBool(assignmentKey + ".clone.force")
+
 	return &Clone{
 		LocalPath: localpath,
 		Branch:    branch,
+		Force:     force,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -270,3 +274,7 @@ func (cfg *AssignmentConfig) SetBranch(branch string) {
 func (cfg *AssignmentConfig) SetLocalpath(localpath string) {
 	cfg.Clone.LocalPath = localpath
 }
+
+func (cfg *AssignmentConfig) SetForce() {
+	cfg.Clone.Force = true
+}
diff --git a/config/show.go b/config/show.go
index 8a5f78f..f7b0990 100644
--- a/config/show.go
+++ b/config/show.go
@@ -31,9 +31,11 @@ func (cfg *AssignmentConfig) Show() {
 	if cfg.Clone != nil {
 		clone = aurora.Sprintf(aurora.Cyan(`Clone:
   Localpath:        %s
-  Branch:           %s`),
+  Branch:           %s
+  Force:            %t`),
 			aurora.Yellow(cfg.Clone.LocalPath),
 			aurora.Yellow(cfg.Clone.Branch),
+			aurora.Yellow(cfg.Clone.Force),
 		)
 	}
 
diff --git a/git/clone.go b/git/clone.go
index a312b39..12dae53 100644
--- a/git/clone.go
+++ b/git/clone.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package git
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -24,11 +25,11 @@ func Clone(cfg *config.AssignmentConfig) {
 	switch cfg.Per {
 	case config.PerStudent:
 		for _, suffix := range cfg.Students {
-			clone(localpath(cfg, suffix), cfg.Clone.Branch, cloneurl(cfg, suffix), auth)
+			clone(localpath(cfg, suffix), cfg.Clone.Branch, cloneurl(cfg, suffix), auth, cfg.Clone.Force)
 		}
 	case config.PerGroup:
 		for _, grp := range cfg.Groups {
-			clone(localpath(cfg, grp.Name), cfg.Clone.Branch, cloneurl(cfg, grp.Name), auth)
+			clone(localpath(cfg, grp.Name), cfg.Clone.Branch, cloneurl(cfg, grp.Name), auth, cfg.Clone.Force)
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ func localpath(cfg *config.AssignmentConfig, suffix string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s-%s", cfg.Clone.LocalPath, cfg.Name, suffix)
 }
 
-func clone(localpath, branch, cloneurl string, auth ssh.AuthMethod) {
+func clone(localpath, branch, cloneurl string, auth ssh.AuthMethod, force bool) {
 	cfg := yacspin.Config{
 		Frequency: 100 * time.Millisecond,
 		CharSet:   yacspin.CharSets[69],
@@ -69,6 +70,22 @@ func clone(localpath, branch, cloneurl string, auth ssh.AuthMethod) {
 		log.Debug().Err(err).Msg("cannot start spinner")
 	}
 
+	if force {
+		spinner.Message(" trying to remove folder if it exists")
+
+		err := os.RemoveAll(localpath)
+		if err != nil {
+			spinner.StopFailMessage(fmt.Sprintf("error when trying to remove %s: %v", localpath, err))
+
+			err := spinner.StopFail()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Debug().Err(err).Msg("cannot stop spinner")
+			}
+			return
+		}
+		spinner.Message(" cloning")
+	}
+
 	_, err = git.PlainClone(localpath, false, &git.CloneOptions{
 		Auth:          auth,
 		URL:           cloneurl,