diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index 399651fc..71884193 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -1,21 +1,61 @@
-# To run this script you must have 'aklog' written in ~/.bash_environment
-# (or the environment file for whatever shell you use)
-# and 'sipb' and 'athena' written in ~/.xlog (both of these files should be in your athena locker).
+#!/bin/bash
+# To run this script you must have *in your athena locker*:
+# - 'aklog' written in ~/.bash_environment (or the environment file for whatever shell you use)
+# - 'sipb' and 'athena' written in ~/.xlog.
 # Otherwise, you will not have permission to access the courseroad locker,
-# even if you are on courseroad-dev.
+# even if you are on courseroad-dev@.
+
+#syntax: ./deploy.sh [dev|prod] [kerberos]
+
+# this section is for Miriam's kdo setup
+if [ $SHELL = "/bin/zsh" ]; then
+  source ~/.zshrc
+fi
+
+# exit if anything errors
+set -e
 
-#syntax: ./deploy.sh [dev or prod] [kerberos]
 npm run build-$1
 if [ "$1" = "prod" ]; then
   echo -n "You are about to deploy to the production site, are you sure? (y/n)? "
   read answer
-  if [ "$answer" != "${answer#[Yy]}" ] ;then
-    scp -r deploy/production/.htaccess dist/* $2@athena.dialup.mit.edu:/mit/courseroad/web_scripts/courseroad/
+  if [ "$answer" != "${answer#[Yy]}" ]; then
+    echo "Checking for AFS on this system"
+    if which aklog &>/dev/null; then
+      echo "AFS detected, using AFS for deployment"
+      if which kdo &>/dev/null; then
+        echo "Using kdo"
+        kdo $2 aklog sipb
+      else
+        kinit -f -l 1h $2
+        aklog sipb
+      fi
+      rsync --delete --progress --checksum -r deploy/production/.htaccess dist/* /afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/courseroad/web_scripts/courseroad/
+    else
+      echo "Could not locate AFS, using SSH for deployment"
+      # this is what happens without any fancy setup
+      scp -r deploy/production/.htaccess dist/* $2@athena.dialup.mit.edu:/mit/courseroad/web_scripts/courseroad/
+    fi
   else
-    echo cancelled
+    echo "Cancelled"
   fi
 elif [ "$1" = "dev" ]; then
+  echo "Checking for AFS on this system"
+  if which aklog &>/dev/null; then
+    echo "AFS detected, using AFS for deployment"
+    if which kdo &>/dev/null; then
+      echo "Using kdo"
+      kdo $2 aklog sipb
+    else
+      kinit -f -l 1h $2
+      aklog sipb
+    fi
+    rsync --delete --progress --checksum -r deploy/development/.htaccess dist/* /afs/sipb.mit.edu/project/courseroad/web_scripts/courseroad/dev/
+  else
+    echo "Could not locate AFS, using SSH for deployment"
+    # this is what happens without any fancy setup
     scp -r deploy/development/.htaccess dist/* $2@athena.dialup.mit.edu:/mit/courseroad/web_scripts/courseroad/dev/
+  fi
 else
   echo "Invalid build location"
 fi