diff --git a/src/arbiter/github_client.py b/src/arbiter/github_client.py
index 00bbb5b..8280f80 100644
--- a/src/arbiter/github_client.py
+++ b/src/arbiter/github_client.py
@@ -104,11 +104,14 @@ def clone_repos(
         cmd.extend(["--", repo.clone_url, str(dest)])
 
         print(f"  Cloning {repo.full_name} ({repo.stars:,} stars)...", file=sys.stderr)
-        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=300)
-        if result.returncode == 0:
-            cloned.append(dest)
-        else:
-            print(f"  SKIP {repo.full_name}: {result.stderr.strip()[:100]}", file=sys.stderr)
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=300)
+            if result.returncode == 0:
+                cloned.append(dest)
+            else:
+                print(f"  SKIP {repo.full_name}: {result.stderr.strip()[:100]}", file=sys.stderr)
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            print(f"  SKIP {repo.full_name}: clone timed out (300s)", file=sys.stderr)
 
     return cloned
 
diff --git a/src/arbiter/preflight.py b/src/arbiter/preflight.py
index 3bef1b8..5b46666 100644
--- a/src/arbiter/preflight.py
+++ b/src/arbiter/preflight.py
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ def check_comment_reexports(repo_path: Path, changed_files: list[str]) -> list[s
     the import is intentional even though the symbol isn't used in this file.
     """
     _REEXPORT_PATTERNS = re.compile(
-        r"#.*\b(expose|re-?export|public api|make available|forward)\b",
+        r"#.*\b(expose|re-?export|public api|make available|forward|dependency|missing dep|error message|ensure|verify|check.*install)\b",
         re.IGNORECASE,
     )
     warnings = []