diff --git a/Makefile_halld_amp b/Makefile_halld_amp
index c6f22d8..37f98c3 100644
--- a/Makefile_halld_amp
+++ b/Makefile_halld_amp
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ ifdef HALLD_AMP_DIRTAG
     HALLD_AMP_DIR := $(HALLD_AMP_DIR)^$(HALLD_AMP_DIRTAG)
 endif
 ifeq ($(HALLD_AMP_DEBUG_LEVEL), 0)
-    HALLD_AMP_DIR := $(HALLD_AMP_DIR)+opt
     override HALLD_AMP_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=0 OPTIMIZATION=3
+else ifeq ($(HALLD_AMP_DEBUG_LEVEL), 1)
+    HALLD_AMP_DIR := $(HALLD_AMP_DIR)+optdbg
 else ifeq ($(HALLD_AMP_DEBUG_LEVEL), 2)
     HALLD_AMP_DIR := $(HALLD_AMP_DIR)+dbg
     override HALLD_AMP_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=1 OPTIMIZATION=0
diff --git a/Makefile_halld_recon b/Makefile_halld_recon
index 9a2251d..d806084 100644
--- a/Makefile_halld_recon
+++ b/Makefile_halld_recon
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ ifdef HALLD_RECON_DIRTAG
  HALLD_RECON_DIR := $(HALLD_RECON_DIR)^$(HALLD_RECON_DIRTAG)
 endif
 ifeq ($(HALLD_RECON_DEBUG_LEVEL), 0)
- HALLD_RECON_DIR := $(HALLD_RECON_DIR)+opt
  override HALLD_RECON_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=0 OPTIMIZATION=3
+else ifeq ($(HALLD_RECON_DEBUG_LEVEL), 1)
+ HALLD_RECON_DIR := $(HALLD_RECON_DIR)+optdbg
 else ifeq ($(HALLD_RECON_DEBUG_LEVEL), 2)
  HALLD_RECON_DIR := $(HALLD_RECON_DIR)+dbg
  override HALLD_RECON_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=1 OPTIMIZATION=0
diff --git a/Makefile_halld_sim b/Makefile_halld_sim
index 62c70f4..5013c35 100644
--- a/Makefile_halld_sim
+++ b/Makefile_halld_sim
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ ifdef HALLD_SIM_DIRTAG
  HALLD_SIM_DIR := $(HALLD_SIM_DIR)^$(HALLD_SIM_DIRTAG)
 endif
 ifeq ($(HALLD_SIM_DEBUG_LEVEL), 0)
- HALLD_SIM_DIR := $(HALLD_SIM_DIR)+opt
  override HALLD_SIM_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=0 OPTIMIZATION=3
+else ifeq ($(HALLD_SIM_DEBUG_LEVEL), 1)
+ HALLD_SIM_DIR := $(HALLD_SIM_DIR)+optdbg
 else ifeq ($(HALLD_SIM_DEBUG_LEVEL), 2)
  HALLD_SIM_DIR := $(HALLD_SIM_DIR)+dbg
  override HALLD_SIM_SCONS_OPTIONS += DEBUG=1 OPTIMIZATION=0
diff --git a/version.pl b/version.pl
index dafe3a8..6ab82b9 100755
--- a/version.pl
+++ b/version.pl
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
     $year = $d{year};
     $debug_level = $d{debug_level};
     $profiling = $d{profiling};
-    if ($debug_level eq '') {$debug_level = 1} # set a default level
+    if ($debug_level eq '') {$debug_level = 0} # set a default level
     if ($version) {
 	print_command("${name_in_caps}_VERSION", $version);
     }
diff --git a/version_check.pl b/version_check.pl
index cb78d3b..5a38c92 100755
--- a/version_check.pl
+++ b/version_check.pl
@@ -68,14 +68,17 @@
 	    } else {
 		$version_field = $token0[1];
 	    }
-	    #print "version_field = $version_field\n";
+	    #print "first preliminary version_field = $version_field\n";
 	    @token4 = split(/\^/, $version_field);
 	    if ($#token4 > 0) {
 		$dirtag_field = $token4[$#token4];
 		$dirtag_string = "\\^" . $dirtag_field;
+		$dirtag_string =~ s/\+/\\\+/;
+		#print "dirtag_field = $dirtag_field, dirtag_string = $dirtag_string\n";
 		@token5 = split (/$dirtag_string/, $version_field);
 		$version_field = $token5[0];
 	    }
+	    #print "second preliminary version_field = $version_field\n";
 	    @token6 = split(/\+/, $version_field);
 	    if ($#token6 > 0) {
 		$version_field = $token6[0];
@@ -99,7 +102,12 @@
 	@token7 = split(/\^/, $home_basename);
 	if ($#token7 > 0) {
 	    $dirtag = $token7[1];
+	    @token9 = split(/\+/, $dirtag);
+	    if ($#token9 > 0) {
+		$dirtag = $token9[0];
+	    }
 	}
+	#print "dirtag = $dirtag\n"
     } else {
     }
     if ($dirtag) {
diff --git a/version_defs.pl b/version_defs.pl
index b38269b..ccc206a 100644
--- a/version_defs.pl
+++ b/version_defs.pl
@@ -92,4 +92,4 @@
 	       diracxx => '',
 	       hddm => '',
 	       halld_amp => '');
-@debug_type = ('opt', '', 'dbg');
+@debug_type = ('', 'optdbg', 'dbg');