diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 79105d9..58b47af 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ requires = ["setuptools", "setuptools_scm[toml]", "wheel"]
 
 # enable setuptools_scm to set the version based on git tags
 [tool.setuptools_scm]
+fallback_version = "0.0.0"
 
 # use PyCharm default line length of 120
 
@@ -72,9 +73,9 @@ select = [
     "ARG",  # flake8-unused-arguments
     "SLF",  # flake8-self
     "UP",   # pyupgrade
-    "FA",   # flake8-future-annotations (for python 3.7/8/9)
     "PERF", # perflint
     "RUF",  # ruff-specific
+    "FA",   # flake8-future-annotations (for python 3.7/8/9)
 ]
 ignore = [
     # allow untyped self and cls args, and no return type from dunder methods
diff --git a/toast.yml b/toast.yml
index 100f483..5998233 100644
--- a/toast.yml
+++ b/toast.yml
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ tasks:
       - package.json
       - .pre-commit-config.yaml
     command: |
-      # a git repo is needed during pip install by setuptools_scm and later by pre-commit
-      git init . --initial-branch=main
       # needed so the editable package (.pth) we install points at src
       mkdir src
       make install
@@ -34,6 +32,7 @@ tasks:
       - src/
       - tests/
     command: |
-      # needed for pre-commit to see files
+      # needed for pre-commit to work and see files
+      git init . --initial-branch=main
       git add src tests
       make hooks