diff --git a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnData_cff.py b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnData_cff.py
index 6f3aa09cc13e1..475be73ab4689 100644
--- a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnData_cff.py
+++ b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnData_cff.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 # Re-define inputs to point at DataMixer output
 DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis.inputLabel = cms.VInputTag(cms.InputTag('mixData'),cms.InputTag('mixData'))
-DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.InputTag("mixData")
+DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.string("mixData")
 DMHcalTTPDigis.HFDigiCollection = cms.InputTag("mixData")
 
 hcalDigiSequenceDM = cms.Sequence(DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis+DMHcalDigis*DMHcalTTPDigis)
diff --git a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnSim_cff.py b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnSim_cff.py
index 9678b76a18a58..d84b73098ec83 100644
--- a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnSim_cff.py
+++ b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerDataOnSim_cff.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 # Re-define inputs to point at DataMixer output
 DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis.inputLabel = cms.VInputTag(cms.InputTag('mixData'),cms.InputTag('mixData'))
-DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.InputTag("mixData")
+DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.string("mixData")
 DMHcalTTPDigis.HFDigiCollection = cms.InputTag("mixData")
 
 hcalDigiSequenceDM = cms.Sequence(DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis+DMHcalDigis*DMHcalTTPDigis)
diff --git a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerPreMix_cff.py b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerPreMix_cff.py
index 20a735e332c5d..f22eb300367b1 100644
--- a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerPreMix_cff.py
+++ b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerPreMix_cff.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 # Re-define inputs to point at DataMixer output
 DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis.inputLabel = cms.VInputTag(cms.InputTag('mixData'),cms.InputTag('mixData'))
-DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.InputTag("mixData")
+DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.string('mixData')
 DMHcalTTPDigis.HFDigiCollection = cms.InputTag("mixData")
 
 hcalDigiSequenceDM = cms.Sequence(DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis+DMHcalDigis*DMHcalTTPDigis)
diff --git a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerSimOnSim_cff.py b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerSimOnSim_cff.py
index d4e347623b187..1925e693042be 100644
--- a/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerSimOnSim_cff.py
+++ b/Configuration/StandardSequences/python/DataMixerSimOnSim_cff.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 # Re-define inputs to point at DataMixer output
 DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis.inputLabel = cms.VInputTag(cms.InputTag('mixData'),cms.InputTag('mixData'))
-DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.InputTag("mixData")
+DMHcalDigis.digiLabel = cms.string("mixData")
 DMHcalTTPDigis.HFDigiCollection = cms.InputTag("mixData")
 
 hcalDigiSequenceDM = cms.Sequence(DMHcalTriggerPrimitiveDigis+DMHcalDigis*DMHcalTTPDigis)
diff --git a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingHcalDigiWorker.cc b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingHcalDigiWorker.cc
index 58632fd47b279..cd10f7b8ec19f 100644
--- a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingHcalDigiWorker.cc
+++ b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingHcalDigiWorker.cc
@@ -838,10 +838,18 @@ namespace edm
     LogInfo("DataMixingHcalDigiWorker") << "total # HF Merged digis: " << HFdigis->size() ;
     LogInfo("DataMixingHcalDigiWorker") << "total # ZDC Merged digis: " << ZDCdigis->size() ;
 
+
+    // make empty collections for now:
+    std::auto_ptr<HBHEUpgradeDigiCollection> hbheupgradeResult(new HBHEUpgradeDigiCollection());
+    std::auto_ptr<HFUpgradeDigiCollection> hfupgradeResult(new HFUpgradeDigiCollection());
+
+
     e.put( HBHEdigis, HBHEDigiCollectionDM_ );
     e.put( HOdigis, HODigiCollectionDM_ );
     e.put( HFdigis, HFDigiCollectionDM_ );
     e.put( ZDCdigis, ZDCDigiCollectionDM_ );
+    e.put( hbheupgradeResult, "HBHEUpgradeDigiCollection" );
+    e.put( hfupgradeResult, "HFUpgradeDigiCollection" );
 
     // clear local storage after this event
     HBHEDigiStorage_.clear();
diff --git a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingModule.cc b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingModule.cc
index b4998a487983d..c1c00011e5287 100644
--- a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingModule.cc
+++ b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingModule.cc
@@ -163,6 +163,10 @@ namespace edm
       produces< HFDigiCollection >();
       produces< ZDCDigiCollection >();
 
+      produces<HBHEUpgradeDigiCollection>("HBHEUpgradeDigiCollection");
+      produces<HFUpgradeDigiCollection>("HFUpgradeDigiCollection");
+
+
       if(MergeHcalDigisProd_) {
         edm::ConsumesCollector iC(consumesCollector());
 	HcalDigiWorkerProd_ = new DataMixingHcalDigiWorkerProd(ps, iC);
diff --git a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.cc b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.cc
index 31b3fddd224d2..7bcc732cb7ada 100644
--- a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.cc
+++ b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.cc
@@ -69,10 +69,14 @@ namespace edm
     boost::shared_ptr<Wrapper<CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended>  const> PlaybackPTR =
       getProductByTag<CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended>(*ep,CFPlaybackInputTag_, mcc);
 
+    FoundPlayback_ = false;
+
     if(PlaybackPTR ) {
 
       CrossingFramePlaybackStorage_ = *(PlaybackPTR->product()) ;
 
+      FoundPlayback_ = true;
+
     }
 
   }
@@ -89,17 +93,22 @@ namespace edm
 
     }
 
-    std::vector<std::vector<edm::EventID> > IdVect; 
+    if(FoundPlayback_ ) {
+
+      std::vector<std::vector<edm::EventID> > IdVect; 
 
-    CrossingFramePlaybackStorage_.getEventStartInfo(IdVect, 0);
+      CrossingFramePlaybackStorage_.getEventStartInfo(IdVect, 0);
 
-    std::auto_ptr< CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended  > CFPlaybackInfo( new CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended(0, IdVect.size(), 1 ));
+      std::auto_ptr< CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended  > CFPlaybackInfo( new CrossingFramePlaybackInfoExtended(0, IdVect.size(), 1 ));
 
-    CFPlaybackInfo->setEventStartInfo(IdVect, 0);
+      CFPlaybackInfo->setEventStartInfo(IdVect, 0);
 
+      e.put(CFPlaybackInfo);
+
+    }
 
     e.put(PSIVector);
-    e.put(CFPlaybackInfo);
+
 
     // clear local storage after this event
     PileupSummaryStorage_.clear();
diff --git a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.h b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.h
index 718f03fe3c9eb..30ec526d7bd1a 100644
--- a/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.h
+++ b/SimGeneral/DataMixingModule/plugins/DataMixingPileupCopy.h
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ namespace edm
 
       std::string label_;
 
+      bool FoundPlayback_;
+
     };
 }//edm