diff --git a/bin/batch b/bin/batch
index e19c11f..9796387 100755
--- a/bin/batch
+++ b/bin/batch
@@ -4,26 +4,35 @@
 # License: GNU General Public License version 3, or any later version
 # See top-level LICENSE file for more information
 
-PROXY="127.0.0.1:8118"  # use Tor
+export https_proxy="127.0.0.1:8118"  # use Tor
+export PYTHONPATH=`pwd`
+
+DBNAME=github
+DBCONN="-p 5433"
+
+psql="psql $DBCONN --no-psqlrc --pset t --pset format=unaligned ${DBNAME}"
 
 BATCH_NO="$1"
 shift
 if [ -z "$BATCH_NO" ] ; then
-    echo "Usage: batch MILLION_NO [MIN_ID]"
+    echo "Usage: batch MILLION_NO [ MIN_ID | continue ]"
     exit 2
 fi
 
 MIN_ID="$1"
 shift
 
-export https_proxy=$PROXY
-export PYTHONPATH=`pwd`
-
 min_id=$[ ($BATCH_NO - 1) * 1000000 + 1 ]
 max_id=$[ $BATCH_NO * 1000000 ]
 
 # allow min_id override on the command line
-if [ -n "$MIN_ID" ] ; then
+if [ "$MIN_ID" = "continue" ] ; then
+    last_id=$(echo "select max(id) from repos where ${min_id} <= id and id <= ${max_id}" | $psql)
+    if [ "$last_id" -eq "$last_id" ] 2> /dev/null ; then  # is an integer?
+	echo "Continuing from last known id ${last_id}"
+	min_id=$last_id
+    fi
+elif [ -n "$MIN_ID" ] ; then
     min_id=$[ $MIN_ID > $min_id ? $MIN_ID : $min_id ]
 fi