diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a00d031..8bfb78e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ sed-rules = -e 's,@PREFIX@,${PREFIX},g' \
 	    -e 's,@BEE_VERSION@,${BEE_VERSION},g' \
 	    -e 's,@DATADIR@,${DATADIR},g'
 
-sed-compat-bashlt4 = -e 'sx\$${\([a-zA-Z_]*\),,}x\$$(tr A-Z a-z <<<\$${\1})xg' \
-                     -e 'sx\$${\([a-zA-Z_]*\)^^}x\$$(tr a-z A-Z <<<\$${\1})xg'
-
 PROGRAMS_C+=beecut
 PROGRAMS_C+=beeflock
 PROGRAMS_C+=beegetopt
@@ -103,6 +100,7 @@ HELPER_HOOKS_SHELL+=gdk-pixbuf-query-loaders
 HELPER_HOOKS_SHELL+=mandb
 HELPER_HOOKS_SHELL+=systemd-tmpfiles
 HELPER_HOOKS_SHELL+=gconf-install-schemas
+HELPER_HOOKS_SHELL+=info-dir
 
 MANPAGES+=bee.1
 MANPAGES+=bee-check.1
@@ -119,23 +117,12 @@ CONFIG_TEMPLATES+=fallback
 CONFIG_FILES+=skiplist
 CONFIG_FILES+=beerc
 
-COMPAT_BASHLT4+=beesh.sh
-COMPAT_BASHLT4+=bee-check.sh
-COMPAT_BASHLT4+=buildtypes/autogen.sh
-COMPAT_BASHLT4+=buildtypes/configure.sh
-COMPAT_BASHLT4+=buildtypes/make.sh
-
 .SUFFIXES: .in .sh .sh.in
 
 all: build
 
 build: shellscripts buildtypes cprograms manpages
 
-compat: compat-bashlt4
-
-compat-bashlt4: ${COMPAT_BASHLT4}
-	$(call quiet-command, sed ${sed-compat-bashlt4} -i ${COMPAT_BASHLT4}, "COMPAT	$^" )
-
 SHELLSCRIPTS=$(PROGRAMS_SHELL) $(HELPER_BEE_SHELL) $(HELPER_SHELL)
 
 BEEVERSION_OBJECTS=beeversion.o bee_version_parse.o bee_version_compare.o bee_version_output.o
@@ -151,7 +138,7 @@ bee_MANPAGES=$(addprefix manpages/,${MANPAGES})
 bee_BUILDTYPES=$(addsuffix .sh,$(addprefix buildtypes/,$(BUILDTYPES)))
 
 shellscripts: $(addsuffix .sh,$(SHELLSCRIPTS)) $(LIBRARY_SHELL)
-cprograms:    $(PROGRAMS_C) ${HELPER_BEE_C} ${HELPER_C}
+cprograms:    $(PROGRAMS_C) ${HELPER_C}
 manpages:     ${bee_MANPAGES}
 buildtypes:   ${bee_BUILDTYPES}
 
@@ -177,7 +164,7 @@ beeflock: $(addprefix src/, ${BEEFLOCK_OBJECTS})
 	$(call quiet-command,${CC} ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^,"LD	$@")
 
 bee-cache-inventory: $(addprefix src/, ${BEECACHEINVENTORY_OBJECTS})
-	$(call quiet-command,${CC} ${LDFLAGS} -lcrypt -o $@ $^,"LD	$@")
+	$(call quiet-command,${CC} ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^,"LD	$@")
 
 %.o: %.c
 	$(call quiet-command,${CC} ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $^,"CC	$@")
@@ -194,7 +181,6 @@ bee-cache-inventory: $(addprefix src/, ${BEECACHEINVENTORY_OBJECTS})
 clean:
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f $(addsuffix .sh,${SHELLSCRIPTS}) $(LIBRARY_SHELL) $(HELPER_SHELL),"CLEAN	<various>.sh")
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f ${PROGRAMS_C},"CLEAN	${PROGRAMS_C}")
-	$(call quiet-command,rm -f ${HELPER_BEE_C},"CLEAN	${HELPER_BEE_C}")
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f ${HELPER_C},"CLEAN	${HELPER_C}")
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f src/*.o,"CLEAN	c object files")
 	$(call quiet-command,rm -f ${bee_MANPAGES},"CLEAN	manpages")
@@ -215,7 +201,7 @@ ${DESTDIR}${BINDIR}/%: % install-dir-bindir
 ${DESTDIR}${BINDIR}/%: %.sh install-dir-bindir
 	$(call quiet-install,0755,$<,$@)
 
-install-tools: $(addprefix ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/bee/bee.d/,${HELPER_BEE_SHELL} ${HELPER_BEE_C})
+install-tools: $(addprefix ${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/bee/bee.d/,${HELPER_BEE_SHELL})
 
 install-dir-tools:
 	$(call quiet-installdir,0755,${DESTDIR}${LIBEXECDIR}/bee/bee.d)
diff --git a/hooks/info-dir.sh b/hooks/info-dir.sh
index 8c3d535..6d26038 100644
--- a/hooks/info-dir.sh
+++ b/hooks/info-dir.sh
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ fi
 
 . ${BEE_METADIR}/${pkg}/META
 
-if [ ! "${BEEMETAFORMAT}" -ge 2 ] ; then
+if [ ! "${BEEMETAFORMAT:=0}" -ge 2 ] ; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
@@ -63,4 +63,4 @@ case "${action}" in
             ${INSTALLINFO} --delete ${i} ${DIRFILE} >/dev/null
         done
         ;;
-esac
\ No newline at end of file
+esac
diff --git a/manpages/bee-update.1.in b/manpages/bee-update.1.in
index c76da8a..0e18c8a 100644
--- a/manpages/bee-update.1.in
+++ b/manpages/bee-update.1.in
@@ -1 +1 @@
-.so bee-install.1
+.so man1/bee-install.1
diff --git a/src/bee-cache-inventory.c b/src/bee-cache-inventory.c
index c97a325..588f3c5 100644
--- a/src/bee-cache-inventory.c
+++ b/src/bee-cache-inventory.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ struct item {
     char *type;
     char *filename;
     char *destination;
+    char free_destination;
 };
 
 struct inventory_meta {
@@ -146,6 +147,28 @@ int substitute(char *data, char from, char to)
     return 1;
 }
 
+char *read_symlink(const char *filename)
+{
+    ssize_t ret;
+    char buffer[PATH_MAX + 1] = {0};
+    char *copy;
+
+    ret = readlink(filename, buffer, PATH_MAX);
+
+    if (ret == -1) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "bee-cache-inventory: warning: "
+                        "cannot restore empty symlink destination for file '%s': %m\n", filename);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    copy = strdup(buffer);
+
+    if (!copy)
+        fprintf(stderr, "bee-cache-inventory: read_symlink: strdup: %m\n");
+
+    return copy;
+}
+
 BEE_STATIC_INLINE char *_extract_pattern(struct item *item, char **dest, char *hint, char *pattern, char size, int failok)
 {
     char *p;
@@ -182,12 +205,17 @@ int do_separation(char *line, struct item *item)
     /* get possible symlink destination */
     q = strstr(item->filename, "//");
     if (q) {
+        *q = '\0';
         item->destination = q + 2;
+
         if (!*item->destination) {
-            fprintf (stderr, "bee-cache-inventory: syntax error: empty destination for file '%s'\n", item->filename);
-            return 0;
+            item->destination = read_symlink(item->filename);
+
+            if (!item->destination)
+                item->destination = item->filename;
+            else
+                item->free_destination = 1;
         }
-        *q = '\0';
     }
 
     *(p-6) = 0;
@@ -344,6 +372,9 @@ int inventory_fhfh(FILE *infh, FILE *outfh, struct inventory_meta meta)
 
         print_item(outfh, item, meta);
 
+        if (item.free_destination)
+            /* symlink destination was generated by read_symlink */
+            free(item.destination);
     }
 
     return 1;
diff --git a/src/bee-cache-update.sh.in b/src/bee-cache-update.sh.in
index b0e9b59..3f6f20a 100644
--- a/src/bee-cache-update.sh.in
+++ b/src/bee-cache-update.sh.in
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function create_pkgbcfile()
     if [ ! -d "${PKGMETADIR}" ] ; then
         # cleanup cache if metadir does not exist
         rm -f "${PKGBCFILE}" "${PKGBCRFILE}"
+        return 0
     elif [ ! -e "${CONTENTFILE}" ] ; then
         if [ -e "${PKGBCFILE}" ] ; then
             print_info "moving ${PKGBCFILE} to ${PKGBCRFILE}.."
diff --git a/src/bee-init.sh.in b/src/bee-init.sh.in
index 7e5d115..dbaf4f9 100644
--- a/src/bee-init.sh.in
+++ b/src/bee-init.sh.in
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ function create_beefile_from_template {
 function initialize() {
     surl=${1}
 
-    shift
+    [ ! -z "${surl}" ] && shift
 
     pname=${OPT_OUTPUT}
 
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ while true ; do
 
         *)
             shift
-            if [ -z "${1}" ] ; then
+            if [ -z "${1}" -a -z "${OPT_OUTPUT}" ] ; then
                  usage
                  exit 1
             fi
diff --git a/src/beelib.config.sh.in b/src/beelib.config.sh.in
index 9d63f6f..1cd1586 100644
--- a/src/beelib.config.sh.in
+++ b/src/beelib.config.sh.in
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ function config_export() {
     export BEE_TMP_TMPDIR
     export BEE_TMP_BUILDROOT
 
+    export BEE_BINDIR
     export BEE_SYSCONFDIR
     export BEE_DATADIR
     export BEE_LIBEXECDIR
diff --git a/src/beesh.sh.in b/src/beesh.sh.in
index 07b4557..e18f25b 100644
--- a/src/beesh.sh.in
+++ b/src/beesh.sh.in
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ function bee_pkg_pack() {
                 ${D}/CONTENT )
 
     beefilename=${BEE##*/}
-    beefiledest=${BEE_BEEDIR}/${beefilename}
+    beefiledest=${BEE_BEEDIR}/${PKGALLPKG}.bee
 
     print_info "-> saving bee-file ${beefilename} .."
     print_info "${COLOR_CYAN}${beefiledest}"
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ function bee_pkg_pack() {
         mkdir -pv ${BEE_BEEDIR}
     fi
 
-    cp -v ${BEE} ${BEE_BEEDIR}
+    cp -v ${BEE} ${beefiledest}
 }
 
 
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ function bee_archivebuild() {
         --absolute-names \
         ${S} ${B} \
         ${bee_FETCHED_FILES[@]} \
-        ${BEE_BEEDIR}/${BEE##*/} \
+        ${BEE_BEEDIR}/${PKGALLPKG}.bee \
         --transform="s,^${BEEWORKDIR},${PKGALLPKG}," \
         --transform="s,^${F},${PKGALLPKG}/files," \
         --transform="s,^${BEE_BEEDIR},${PKGALLPKG}/files,"
@@ -600,6 +600,81 @@ function load_buildmagic() {
     fi
 }
 
+function save_current_package_variables() {
+    oPKGNAME=${PKGNAME}
+    oPKGEXTRANAME=${PKGEXTRANAME}
+    oPKGFULLNAME=${PKGFULLNAME}
+    oPKGVERSION=${PKGVERSION}
+    oPKGEXTRAVERSION=${PKGEXTRAVERSION}
+    oPKGFULLVERSION=${PKGFULLVERSION}
+    oPKGREVISION=${PKGREVISION}
+}
+
+function verify_new_package_variables() {
+    nPKGFULLNAME="${PKGNAME}${PKGEXTRANAME:+_${PKGEXTRANAME}}"
+
+    if [ "${oPKGFULLNAME}" != "${PKGFULLNAME}" ] ; then
+        if [ "${oPKGFULLNAME}" != "${nPKGFULLNAME}" ] ; then
+            print_error "${BEE##*/}: Changing PKGFULLNAME and one of PKGNAME or PKGEXTRANAME is not supported."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        PKGNAME=${PKGFULLNAME//_*}
+        PKGEXTRANAME=${PKGFULLNAME#*_}
+    fi
+    PKGFULLNAME="${PKGNAME}${PKGEXTRANAME:+_${PKGEXTRANAME}}"
+
+    nPKGFULLVERSION="${PKGVERSION}${PKGEXTRAVERSION:+_${PKGEXTRAVERSION}}"
+    if [ "${oPKGFULLVERSION}" != "${PKGFULLVERSION}" ] ; then
+        if [ "${oPKGFULLVERSION}" != "${nPKGFULLVERSION}" ] ; then
+            print_error "${BEE##*/}: Changing PKGFULLVERSION and one of PKGVERSION or PKGEXTRAVERSION is not supported."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        PKGVERSION=${PKGFULLVERSION//_*}
+        PKGEXTRAVERSION=${PKGFULLVERSION#*_}
+    fi
+    PKGFULLVERSION="${PKGVERSION}${PKGEXTRAVERSION:+_${PKGEXTRAVERSION}}"
+}
+
+function extract_new_package_variables() {
+    if [ "${PKGNAME}" != "${oPKGNAME}" ] ; then
+        # pkgname changed! we allow prefixing 'anything-' to the packagename
+        if [ "${PKGNAME}" != "${PKGNAME/-${oPKGNAME}}-${oPKGNAME}" ] ; then
+            print_error "${BEE##*/}: Invalid change in PKGNAME(${PKGNAME}) detected. Only prefixing 'something-' is supported."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        print_info "${COLOR_YELLOW}PKGNAME changed from '${oPKGNAME}' to '${PKGNAME}'"
+    fi
+    if [ "${PKGEXTRANAME}" != "${oPKGEXTRANAME}" ] ; then
+        if [ ! -z "${oPKGEXTRANAME}" -a  "${PKGEXTRANAME}" != "${oPKGEXTRANAME}_${PKGEXTRANAME#${oPKGEXTRANAME}_}" ] ; then
+            print_error "${BEE##*/}: Invalid change in PKGEXTRANAME(${PKGEXTRANAME}) detected. Only appending '_something' is supported."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        print_info "${COLOR_YELLOW}PKGEXTRANAME changed from '${oPKGEXTRANAME}' to '${PKGEXTRANAME}'"
+    fi
+    if [ "${PKGVERSION}" != "${oPKGVERSION}" ] ; then
+        print_error "${BEE##*/}: Invalid change in PKGVERSION(${PKGVERSION}) detected. Changing PKGVERSION is not supported."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ "${PKGEXTRAVERSION}" != "${oPKGEXTRAVERSION}" ] ; then
+        if [ ! -z "${oPKGEXTRAVERSION}" -a  "${PKGEXTRAVERSION}" != "${oPKGEXTRAVERSION}_${PKGEXTRAVERSION#${oPKGEXTRAVERSION}_}" ] ; then
+            print_error "${BEE##*/}: Invalid change in PKGEXTRAVERSION(${PKGEXTRAVERSION}) detected. Only appending '_something' is supported."
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        print_info "${COLOR_YELLOW}PKGEXTRAVERSION changed from '${oPKGEXTRAVERSION}' to '${PKGEXTRAVERSION}'"
+    fi
+    if [ "${PKGREVISION}" != "${oPKGREVISION}" ] ; then
+        print_error "${BEE##*/}: Invalid change in PKGREVISION(${PKGREVISION}) detected. Changing PKGREVISION is not supported."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
+    PKGFULLPKG=${PKGFULLNAME}-${PKGFULLVERSION}-${PKGREVISION}
+
+    # since PKGARCH is now known reconstruct PKGALLPKG
+    : ${PKGALLPKG:=${PKGFULLPKG}.${PKGARCH}}
+
+    eval $(${BEE_BINDIR}/beeversion ${PKGALLPKG})
+}
+
 ###############################################################################
 ###############################################################################
 ###############################################################################
@@ -764,12 +839,7 @@ if [ -z "${PKGNAME}" -o -z "${PKGVERSION}" -o -z "${PKGREVISION}" ] ; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-PN=${PKGNAME}
 PV=( ${PKGVERSION[@]} )
-PS=${PKGEXTRAVERSION}
-PR=${PKGREVISION}
-
-P=${PKGFULLNAME}-${PKGFULLVERSION}
 
 BEEPKGROOT="${BEE_TMP_BUILDROOT}/${PKGNAME}"
 BEEWORKDIR="${BEEPKGROOT}/${PKGFULLPKG}"
@@ -787,14 +857,16 @@ D=${BEEWORKDIR}/image
 # clear PKGALLPKG since we can't trust PKGARCH in this state
 PKGALLPKG=
 
+save_current_package_variables
+
 # source file.bee
 . ${BEE}
 
 # now set PKGARCH if set or changed by user via ARCH=.. and not given via file.arch.bee
 : ${PKGARCH:=${ARCH}}
 
-# since PKGARCH is now known reconstruct PKGALLPKG
-: ${PKGALLPKG:=${PKGFULLPKG}.${PKGARCH}}
+verify_new_package_variables
+extract_new_package_variables
 
 config_handle_deprecated_beefile
 expand_prefix_variables
diff --git a/src/filelist2content.sh.in b/src/filelist2content.sh.in
index 22b2d6e..9600b1d 100644
--- a/src/filelist2content.sh.in
+++ b/src/filelist2content.sh.in
@@ -113,9 +113,10 @@ function do_f2c() {
                 exit 1
             fi
 
-            echo -n ":md5=${md5%% *}"        
+            echo -n ":md5=${md5%% *}"
         elif [ "${type}" = "symlink" ] ; then
-            file="${file}//$(readlink ${root}${file})"
+            target=$(readlink ${root}${file})
+            file="${file}//${target#${root}}"
         elif [ "${type}" = "block" -o "${type}" = "char" ] ; then
             echo -n ":major=${major}"
             echo -n ":minor=${minor}"