diff --git a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/driveish.go b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/driveish.go
index 63d16a3c5..12f431790 100644
--- a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/driveish.go
+++ b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/driveish.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package driveish
 import (
 	"context"
 
+	"github.com/alcionai/clues"
 	"github.com/microsoftgraph/msgraph-sdk-go/models"
 
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/cmd/sanity_test/common"
@@ -15,10 +16,23 @@ const (
 	owner             = "owner"
 )
 
+// sanitree population will grab a superset of data in the drive.
+// this increases the chance that we'll run into a race collision with
+// the cleanup script.  Sometimes that's okay (deleting old data that
+// isn't scrutinized in the test), other times it's not.  We mark whether
+// that's okay to do or not by specifying the folder that's being
+// scrutinized for the test.  Any errors within that folder should cause
+// a fatal exit.  Errors outside of that folder get ignored.
+//
+// since we're using folder names, requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName will
+// work best (ie: have the fewest collisions/side-effects) if the folder
+// name is very specific.  Standard sanity tests should include timestamps,
+// which should help ensure that.  Be warned if you try to use it with
+// a more generic name: unintended effects could occur.
 func populateSanitree(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	ac api.Client,
-	driveID string,
+	driveID, requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName string,
 ) *common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable] {
 	common.Infof(ctx, "building sanitree for drive: %s", driveID)
 
@@ -27,10 +41,12 @@ func populateSanitree(
 		common.Fatal(ctx, "getting drive root folder", err)
 	}
 
+	rootName := ptr.Val(root.GetName())
+
 	stree := &common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{
 		Self:     root,
 		ID:       ptr.Val(root.GetId()),
-		Name:     ptr.Val(root.GetName()),
+		Name:     rootName,
 		Leaves:   map[string]*common.Sanileaf[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{},
 		Children: map[string]*common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{},
 	}
@@ -40,6 +56,8 @@ func populateSanitree(
 		ac,
 		driveID,
 		stree.Name+"/",
+		requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName,
+		rootName == requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName,
 		stree)
 
 	return stree
@@ -48,14 +66,27 @@ func populateSanitree(
 func recursivelyBuildTree(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	ac api.Client,
-	driveID, location string,
+	driveID, location, requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName string,
+	isChildOfFolderRequiringNoErrors bool,
 	stree *common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable],
 ) {
 	common.Debugf(ctx, "adding: %s", location)
 
 	children, err := ac.Drives().GetFolderChildren(ctx, driveID, stree.ID)
 	if err != nil {
-		common.Fatal(ctx, "getting drive children by id", err)
+		if isChildOfFolderRequiringNoErrors {
+			common.Fatal(ctx, "getting drive children by id", err)
+		}
+
+		common.Infof(
+			ctx,
+			"ignoring error getting children in directory %q because it is not within directory %q\nerror: %s\n%+v",
+			location,
+			requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName,
+			err.Error(),
+			clues.ToCore(err))
+
+		return
 	}
 
 	for _, driveItem := range children {
@@ -72,13 +103,15 @@ func recursivelyBuildTree(
 				continue
 			}
 
+			cannotAllowErrors := isChildOfFolderRequiringNoErrors || itemName == requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName
+
 			branch := &common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{
 				Parent: stree,
 				Self:   driveItem,
 				ID:     itemID,
 				Name:   itemName,
 				Expand: map[string]any{
-					expandPermissions: permissionIn(ctx, ac, driveID, itemID),
+					expandPermissions: permissionIn(ctx, ac, driveID, itemID, cannotAllowErrors),
 				},
 				Leaves:   map[string]*common.Sanileaf[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{},
 				Children: map[string]*common.Sanitree[models.DriveItemable, models.DriveItemable]{},
@@ -91,6 +124,8 @@ func recursivelyBuildTree(
 				ac,
 				driveID,
 				location+branch.Name+"/",
+				requireNoErrorsWithinFolderName,
+				cannotAllowErrors,
 				branch)
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/export.go b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/export.go
index c07cb173f..80d608e61 100644
--- a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/export.go
+++ b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/export.go
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ func CheckExport(
 	root := populateSanitree(
 		ctx,
 		ac,
-		driveID)
+		driveID,
+		envs.RestoreContainer)
 
 	sourceTree, ok := root.Children[envs.SourceContainer]
 	common.Assert(
diff --git a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/restore.go b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/restore.go
index 2d861eeb9..a95c77cef 100644
--- a/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/restore.go
+++ b/src/cmd/sanity_test/driveish/restore.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func CheckRestoration(
 		"drive_id", driveID,
 		"drive_name", driveName)
 
-	root := populateSanitree(ctx, ac, driveID)
+	root := populateSanitree(ctx, ac, driveID, envs.RestoreContainer)
 
 	sourceTree, ok := root.Children[envs.SourceContainer]
 	common.Assert(
@@ -85,12 +85,24 @@ func permissionIn(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	ac api.Client,
 	driveID, itemID string,
+	cannotAllowErrors bool,
 ) []common.PermissionInfo {
 	pi := []common.PermissionInfo{}
 
 	pcr, err := ac.Drives().GetItemPermission(ctx, driveID, itemID)
 	if err != nil {
-		common.Fatal(ctx, "getting permission", err)
+		if cannotAllowErrors {
+			common.Fatal(ctx, "getting permission", err)
+		}
+
+		common.Infof(
+			ctx,
+			"ignoring error getting permissions for %q\nerror: %s,%+v",
+			itemID,
+			err.Error(),
+			clues.ToCore(err))
+
+		return []common.PermissionInfo{}
 	}
 
 	for _, perm := range pcr.GetValue() {