Index: common.scm
==================================================================
--- common.scm
+++ common.scm
@@ -954,11 +954,11 @@
 		 (args:get-arg ":runname")
 		 (getenv "MT_RUNNAME"))))
     ;; (if res (set-environment-variable "MT_RUNNAME" res)) ;; not sure if this is a good idea. side effect and all ...
     res))
 
-(define (common:args-get-target #!key (split #f))
+(define (common:args-get-target #!key (split #f)(exit-if-bad #f))
   (let* ((keys    (if (hash-table? *configdat*) (keys:config-get-fields *configdat*) '()))
 	 (numkeys (length keys))
 	 (target  (or (args:get-arg "-reqtarg")
 		      (args:get-arg "-target")
 		      (getenv "MT_TARGET")))
@@ -974,10 +974,11 @@
 	    tlist
 	    target)
 	(if target
 	    (begin
 	      (debug:print-error 0 *default-log-port* "Invalid target, spaces or blanks not allowed \"" target "\", target should be: " (string-intersperse keys "/") ", have " tlist " for elements")
+	      (if exit-if-bad (exit 1))
 	      #f)
 	    #f))))
 
 ;; logic for getting homehost. Returns (host . at-home)
 ;; IF *toppath* is not set, wait up to five seconds trying every two seconds

Index: launch.scm
==================================================================
--- launch.scm
+++ launch.scm
@@ -683,11 +683,11 @@
   (if (and *configdat* 
 	   (or (args:get-arg "-run")
 	       (args:get-arg "-runtests")
 	       (args:get-arg "-execute")))
       (let* ((linktree (get-environment-variable "MT_LINKTREE"))
-	     (target   (common:args-get-target))
+	     (target   (common:args-get-target exit-if-bad: #t))
 	     (runname  (or (args:get-arg "-runname")
 			   (args:get-arg ":runname")
 			   (getenv "MT_RUNNAME")))
 	     (fulldir  (conc linktree "/"
 			     target "/"
@@ -740,11 +740,11 @@
 	res)))
 
 (define (launch:setup-body #!key (force #f) (areapath #f))
   (let* ((toppath  (or *toppath* areapath (getenv "MT_RUN_AREA_HOME"))) ;; preserve toppath
 	 (runname  (common:args-get-runname))
-	 (target   (common:args-get-target))
+	 (target   (common:args-get-target exit-if-bad: #t))
 	 (linktree (common:get-linktree))
 	 (contour  (args:get-arg "-contour"))
 	 (sections (if target (list "default" target) #f)) ;; for runconfigs
 	 (mtconfig (or (args:get-arg "-config") "megatest.config")) ;; allow overriding megatest.config 
 	 (rundir   (if (and runname target linktree)(conc linktree (if contour (conc "/" contour) "") "/" target "/" runname) #f))

Index: megatest.scm
==================================================================
--- megatest.scm
+++ megatest.scm
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@
   -h                      : this help
   -manual                 : show the Megatest user manual
   -version                : print megatest version (currently " megatest-version ")
 
 Launching and managing runs
-  -runall                 : run all tests or as specified by -testpatt
+  -run                    : run all tests or as specified by -testpatt
   -remove-runs            : remove the data for a run, requires -runname and -testpatt
                             Optionally use :state and :status
   -set-state-status X,Y   : set state to X and status to Y, requires controls per -remove-runs
   -rerun FAIL,WARN...     : force re-run for tests with specificed status(s)
   -rerun-clean            : set all tests not COMPLETED+PASS,WARN,WAIVED to NOT_STARTED,n/a
@@ -462,11 +462,12 @@
 	;; (args:get-arg "-remove-runs")
 	;; (args:get-arg "-runstep"))
     (let ((original-exit (exit-handler)))
       (exit-handler (lambda (#!optional (exit-code 0))
 		      (printf "Preparing to exit with exit code ~A ...\n" exit-code)
-		      (for-each 
+		      (for-each
+		       
 		       (lambda (pid)
 			 (handle-exceptions
 			  exn
 			  #t
 			  (let-values (((pid-val exit-status exit-code) (process-wait pid #t)))
@@ -476,10 +477,15 @@
 					    (printf "Sending signal/term to ~A\n" pid)
 					    (process-signal pid signal/term))))))
 		       (process:children #f))
 		      (original-exit exit-code)))))
 
+;; for some switches alway print the command to stderr
+;;
+(if (args:any? "-run" "-runall" "-list-runs" "-remove-runs" "-set-state-status")
+    (debug:print 0 *default-log-port* (string-intersperse (argv) " ")))
+
 ;;======================================================================
 ;; Misc setup stuff
 ;;======================================================================
 
 (debug:setup)

Index: runs.scm
==================================================================
--- runs.scm
+++ runs.scm
@@ -262,11 +262,14 @@
 			#f)))
 
     (if (not test-patts) ;; first time in - adjust testpatt
 	(set! test-patts (common:args-get-testpatt runconf)))
     (if (args:get-arg "-tagexpr")
-	(set! allowed-tests (string-join (runs:get-tests-matching-tags (args:get-arg "-tagexpr")) ","))) ;; tests will be ANDed with this list
+	(begin
+	  (set! allowed-tests (string-join (runs:get-tests-matching-tags (args:get-arg "-tagexpr")) ","))
+	  	  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "filtering initial test list with tagexpr: " (args:get-arg "-tagexpr") " => " allowed-tests)
+		  ));; tests will be ANDed with this list
 
     ;; register this run in monitor.db
     (rmt:tasks-add "run-tests" user target runname test-patts task-key) ;; params)
     (rmt:tasks-set-state-given-param-key task-key "running")