diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a19a308..07085f0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 ```
 cd
 git clone https://github.com/flipsidecreations/dotfiles.git
+
+(make sure these files do not exist first)
 ln -s dotfiles/.bashrc ~/
 ln -s dotfiles/.vimrc ~/
 ln -s dotfiles/.screenrc ~/