diff --git a/bin/bg-merger b/bin/bg-merger
index f7811527a3..469d48796c 100755
--- a/bin/bg-merger
+++ b/bin/bg-merger
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/bos2hipo b/bin/bos2hipo
index 8dd8b72a62..4f818369a9 100755
--- a/bin/bos2hipo
+++ b/bin/bos2hipo
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m -XX:+UseSerialGC \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/plugins/*" \
diff --git a/bin/cvt-compare b/bin/cvt-compare
index b918e42eeb..1610617206 100755
--- a/bin/cvt-compare
+++ b/bin/cvt-compare
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/daqEventViewer b/bin/daqEventViewer
index 1588931463..5cdad54097 100755
--- a/bin/daqEventViewer
+++ b/bin/daqEventViewer
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/services/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/utils/*" \
diff --git a/bin/dclayereffs-ana b/bin/dclayereffs-ana
index b37bc1f0be..b41ec34ffe 100755
--- a/bin/dclayereffs-ana
+++ b/bin/dclayereffs-ana
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Dsun.java2d.pmoffscreen=false -Xmx2048m -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/utils/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/services/*" \
diff --git a/bin/decoder b/bin/decoder
index fa6321f5c6..1ea3657a9b 100755
--- a/bin/decoder
+++ b/bin/decoder
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/dict-generator b/bin/dict-generator
index 459c3cb7bd..2d311f9bf3 100755
--- a/bin/dict-generator
+++ b/bin/dict-generator
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/dict-maker b/bin/dict-maker
index 545db81887..652a878413 100755
--- a/bin/dict-maker
+++ b/bin/dict-maker
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/dict-merger b/bin/dict-merger
index 95e555307a..f57611ad3b 100755
--- a/bin/dict-merger
+++ b/bin/dict-merger
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/dict-validator b/bin/dict-validator
index c16a97fc8f..57810fb5fd 100755
--- a/bin/dict-validator
+++ b/bin/dict-validator
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/evio-viewer b/bin/evio-viewer
index f3b5a88f4f..4e88b1eec0 100755
--- a/bin/evio-viewer
+++ b/bin/evio-viewer
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*" org.jlab.coda.eventViewer.EventTreeFrame $*
diff --git a/bin/evio2hipo b/bin/evio2hipo
index 3edc72dc4f..1a7e71037c 100755
--- a/bin/evio2hipo
+++ b/bin/evio2hipo
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/eviocure b/bin/eviocure
index a651ca9444..fa01967c0a 100755
--- a/bin/eviocure
+++ b/bin/eviocure
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/eviodump b/bin/eviodump
index 87024f5d80..c1d3495f37 100755
--- a/bin/eviodump
+++ b/bin/eviodump
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/plugins/*" \
diff --git a/bin/hipo-add b/bin/hipo-add
index 3cbaaf2eda..3b234699be 100755
--- a/bin/hipo-add
+++ b/bin/hipo-add
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/plugins/*" \
diff --git a/bin/hipo-browser b/bin/hipo-browser
index fc0e8c1293..920d84c4be 100755
--- a/bin/hipo-browser
+++ b/bin/hipo-browser
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/plugins/*" \
diff --git a/bin/hipo-diff b/bin/hipo-diff
index b65fe07c75..96d47f9cf4 100755
--- a/bin/hipo-diff
+++ b/bin/hipo-diff
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/hipo-json b/bin/hipo-json
index 9281af3853..2077327fc3 100755
--- a/bin/hipo-json
+++ b/bin/hipo-json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 java -Xms1024m \
     -cp "$CLAS12DIR/lib/clas/*:$CLAS12DIR/lib/plugins/*" \
diff --git a/bin/hipo-utils b/bin/hipo-utils
index 1b3f35587d..47e579389c 100755
--- a/bin/hipo-utils
+++ b/bin/hipo-utils
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/postprocess b/bin/postprocess
index e493935841..7c33355ecb 100755
--- a/bin/postprocess
+++ b/bin/postprocess
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/rebuild-scalers b/bin/rebuild-scalers
index 26c6aa62e0..3155086d7d 100755
--- a/bin/rebuild-scalers
+++ b/bin/rebuild-scalers
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/recon-util b/bin/recon-util
index b7b439da3c..a11a11e8c3 100755
--- a/bin/recon-util
+++ b/bin/recon-util
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/run-groovy b/bin/run-groovy
index e9fca29ec6..b8412ce507 100755
--- a/bin/run-groovy
+++ b/bin/run-groovy
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh groovy
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh groovy
 
 echo """
 ****************************************
diff --git a/bin/run-groovysh b/bin/run-groovysh
index 4466e01342..d217dfbf41 100755
--- a/bin/run-groovysh
+++ b/bin/run-groovysh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh groovy
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh groovy
 
 echo """
 ***************************************
diff --git a/bin/run-jshell b/bin/run-jshell
index e017b08fa1..72bb3754c9 100755
--- a/bin/run-jshell
+++ b/bin/run-jshell
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh jshell
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh jshell
 
 echo """
 *********************************
diff --git a/bin/trigger-filter b/bin/trigger-filter
index 172bf880d5..91c3221b16 100755
--- a/bin/trigger-filter
+++ b/bin/trigger-filter
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/bin/trigger-splitter b/bin/trigger-splitter
index 5821b29bff..8c64dda6ab 100755
--- a/bin/trigger-splitter
+++ b/bin/trigger-splitter
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-. `dirname $0`/env.sh 
+. `dirname $0`/../libexec/env.sh
 
 export MALLOC_ARENA_MAX=1
 
diff --git a/build-coatjava.sh b/build-coatjava.sh
index cd05cfe04f..a7e7341b5b 100755
--- a/build-coatjava.sh
+++ b/build-coatjava.sh
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ download () {
 }
 
 
-# download the default field maps, as defined in bin/env.sh:
+# download the default field maps, as defined in libexec/env.sh:
 # (and duplicated in etc/services/reconstruction.yaml):
-source `dirname $0`/bin/env.sh
+source `dirname $0`/libexec/env.sh
 if [ $downloadMaps == "yes" ]; then
   echo 'Retrieving field maps ...'
   webDir=https://clasweb.jlab.org/clas12offline/magfield
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ rm -rf coatjava
 mkdir -p coatjava
 cp -r bin coatjava/
 cp -r etc coatjava/
+cp -r libexec coatjava/
 
 # create schema directories for partial reconstruction outputs
 which python3 >& /dev/null && python=python3 || python=python
diff --git a/install-clara b/install-clara
index d0d7e5490b..32e8fc3ed5 100755
--- a/install-clara
+++ b/install-clara
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ then
     coatjava=./coatjava
 fi
 mkdir -p clara-cre/plugins/clas12/config
-cp -Lr $coatjava/etc $coatjava/bin $coatjava/lib clara-cre/plugins/clas12
+cp -Lr $coatjava/etc $coatjava/bin $coatjava/lib* clara-cre/plugins/clas12
 
 # GRAPES:
 echo -e "\nRetrieving GRAPES version $grapes ..."
diff --git a/bin/env.sh b/libexec/env.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from bin/env.sh
rename to libexec/env.sh
diff --git a/validation/advanced-tests/run-advanced-tests.sh b/validation/advanced-tests/run-advanced-tests.sh
index b3e85ecb65..38cb800dce 100755
--- a/validation/advanced-tests/run-advanced-tests.sh
+++ b/validation/advanced-tests/run-advanced-tests.sh
@@ -1,51 +1,22 @@
 #!/bin/sh -f
 
+# this test needs rewritten, with more useful data (not KPP),
+# meanwhile not worth maintaining ...
+#exit 0
+
 # coatjava must already be built at ../../coatjava/
-OS=$(uname)
 
 # set up environment
 CLARA_HOME=$PWD/clara_installation/ ; export CLARA_HOME
 COAT=$CLARA_HOME/plugins/clas12/
 classPath="$COAT/lib/services/*:$COAT/lib/clas/*:$COAT/lib/utils/*:../lib/*:src/"
 
-# tar the local coatjava build so it can be installed with clara
-cd ../..
-tar -zcvf coatjava-local.tar.gz coatjava
-mv coatjava-local.tar.gz validation/advanced-tests/
-cd -
-
 # install clara
-
-case $OS in
-    'Linux')
-       wget --no-check-certificate https://claraweb.jlab.org/clara/_downloads/install-claracre-clas.sh
-     ;;
-     'Darwin')
-       echo "Getting Clara..."
-       curl -OL "https://claraweb.jlab.org/clara/_downloads/install-claracre-clas.sh" -o install-claracre-clas.sh
-     ;;
-     *) ;;
-esac
-
-
-chmod +x install-claracre-clas.sh
-echo Y | ./install-claracre-clas.sh -f 5.0.2 -j 11 -l local
+../../install-clara -c ../../coatjava $CLARA_HOME
 if [ $? != 0 ] ; then echo "clara installation error" ; exit 1 ; fi
-rm install-claracre-clas.sh
 
 # download test files
-
-case $OS in
-    'Linux')
-       wget --no-check-certificate http://clasweb.jlab.org/clas12offline/distribution/coatjava/validation_files/twoTrackEvents_809_raw.evio.tar.gz
-     ;;
-     'Darwin')
-       curl -OL "http://clasweb.jlab.org/clas12offline/distribution/coatjava/validation_files/twoTrackEvents_809_raw.evio.tar.gz" -o twoTrackEvents_809_raw.evio.tar.gz
-     ;;
-     *) ;;
-esac
-
-
+wget --no-check-certificate http://clasweb.jlab.org/clas12offline/distribution/coatjava/validation_files/twoTrackEvents_809_raw.evio.tar.gz
 
 if [ $? != 0 ] ; then echo "wget validation files failure" ; exit 1 ; fi
 tar -zxvf twoTrackEvents_809_raw.evio.tar.gz
@@ -64,7 +35,7 @@ echo "set session s_cook" >> cook.clara
 echo "set description d_cook" >> cook.clara
 ls twoTrackEvents_809.hipo > files.list
 echo "set fileList $PWD/files.list" >> cook.clara
-echo "set servicesFile $CLARA_HOME/plugins/clas12/config/kpp.yaml" >> cook.clara
+echo "set servicesFile $COAT/etc/services/kpp.yaml" >> cook.clara
 echo "run local" >> cook.clara
 echo "exit" >> cook.clara
 $CLARA_HOME/bin/clara-shell cook.clara
diff --git a/validation/advanced-tests/run-eb-tests.sh b/validation/advanced-tests/run-eb-tests.sh
index a4221b5f84..30645ecbd0 100755
--- a/validation/advanced-tests/run-eb-tests.sh
+++ b/validation/advanced-tests/run-eb-tests.sh
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ esac
 if [ $useClara -eq 0 ]
 then
     COAT=../../coatjava
-    source $COAT/bin/env.sh
+    source $COAT/libexec/env.sh
 else
     CLARA_HOME=$PWD/clara_installation/
     COAT=$CLARA_HOME/plugins/clas12/
@@ -117,11 +117,7 @@ then
         # install clara
         if ! [ -d clara_installation ]
         then
-            wget --no-check-certificate https://claraweb.jlab.org/clara/_downloads/install-claracre-clas.sh
-            chmod +x install-claracre-clas.sh
-            ./install-claracre-clas.sh -l local
-            if [ $? != 0 ] ; then echo "clara installation error" ; exit 1 ; fi
-            rm install-claracre-clas.sh
+            ../../install-clara clara_installation
         fi
     fi