diff --git a/vpi/fstapi.c b/vpi/fstapi.c
index 18d38ec99..386d6705e 100644
--- a/vpi/fstapi.c
+++ b/vpi/fstapi.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2009-2015 Tony Bybell.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2018 Tony Bybell.
  *
  * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
  * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ void **JenkinsIns(void *base_i, const unsigned char *mem, uint32_t length, uint3
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #endif
 
+#define FST_APIMESS "FSTAPI  | "
 
 /***********************/
 /***                 ***/
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ if(nam) /* cppcheck warning fix: nam is always defined, so this is not needed */
         dwRetVal = GetTempPath(MAX_PATH, lpTempPathBuffer);
         if((dwRetVal > MAX_PATH) || (dwRetVal == 0))
                 {
-                fprintf(stderr, "GetTempPath() failed in "__FILE__" line %d, exiting.\n", __LINE__);
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"GetTempPath() failed in "__FILE__" line %d, exiting.\n", __LINE__);
                 exit(255);
                 }
                 else
@@ -201,7 +202,7 @@ if(nam) /* cppcheck warning fix: nam is always defined, so this is not needed */
                 uRetVal = GetTempFileName(lpTempPathBuffer, TEXT("FSTW"), 0, szTempFileName);
                 if (uRetVal == 0)
                         {
-                        fprintf(stderr, "GetTempFileName() failed in "__FILE__" line %d, exiting.\n", __LINE__);
+                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"GetTempFileName() failed in "__FILE__" line %d, exiting.\n", __LINE__);
                         exit(255);
                         }
                         else
@@ -803,7 +804,7 @@ if(rc<0)
         {
         xc->fseek_failed = 1;
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "Seek to #%"PRId64" (whence = %d) failed!\n", offset, whence);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"Seek to #%"PRId64" (whence = %d) failed!\n", offset, whence);
         perror("Why");
 #endif
         }
@@ -1663,7 +1664,7 @@ if(zerocnt)
         /* fpos += */ fstWriterVarint(f, (zerocnt << 1)); /* scan-build */
         }
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "value chains: %d\n", cnt);
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"value chains: %d\n", cnt);
 #endif
 
 xc->vchg_mem[0] = '!';
@@ -1738,7 +1739,7 @@ if(xc->dump_size_limit)
                 xc2->size_limit_locked = 1;
                 xc2->is_initial_time = 1; /* to trick emit value and emit time change */
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-                fprintf(stderr, "<< dump file size limit reached, stopping dumping >>\n");
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"<< dump file size limit reached, stopping dumping >>\n");
 #endif
                 }
         }
@@ -2478,7 +2479,7 @@ if(xc)
 #ifndef FST_WRITER_PARALLEL
         if(xc->parallel_enabled)
                 {
-                fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: fstWriterSetParallelMode(), FST_WRITER_PARALLEL not enabled during compile, exiting.\n");
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstWriterSetParallelMode(), FST_WRITER_PARALLEL not enabled during compile, exiting.\n");
                 exit(255);
                 }
 #endif
@@ -2760,7 +2761,7 @@ if((xc) && (handle <= xc->maxhandle))
                                 xc->vchg_mem = realloc(xc->vchg_mem, xc->vchg_alloc_siz);
                                 if(!xc->vchg_mem)
                                         {
-                                        fprintf(stderr, "FATAL ERROR, could not realloc() in fstWriterEmitValueChange, exiting.\n");
+                                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"Could not realloc() in fstWriterEmitValueChange, exiting.\n");
                                         exit(255);
                                         }
                                 }
@@ -2874,7 +2875,7 @@ if((xc) && (handle <= xc->maxhandle))
                         xc->vchg_mem = realloc(xc->vchg_mem, xc->vchg_alloc_siz);
                         if(!xc->vchg_mem)
                                 {
-                                fprintf(stderr, "FATAL ERROR, could not realloc() in fstWriterEmitVariableLengthValueChange, exiting.\n");
+                                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"Could not realloc() in fstWriterEmitVariableLengthValueChange, exiting.\n");
                                 exit(255);
                                 }
                         }
@@ -3119,7 +3120,7 @@ if(rc<0)
         {
         xc->fseek_failed = 1;
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "Seek to #%"PRId64" (whence = %d) failed!\n", offset, whence);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"Seek to #%"PRId64" (whence = %d) failed!\n", offset, whence);
         perror("Why");
 #endif
         }
@@ -3748,6 +3749,10 @@ if(!xc->fh)
         else /* FST_BL_SKIP */
                 {
                 pass_status = 0;
+                if(xc->fh)
+                        {
+                        fclose(xc->fh); xc->fh = NULL; /* needed in case .hier file is missing and there are no hier sections */
+                        }
                 }
 
         free(mem);
@@ -4435,7 +4440,7 @@ if(gzread_pass_status)
 
                                         if(rc != Z_OK)
                                                 {
-                                                printf("geom uncompress rc = %d\n", rc);
+                                                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderInit(), geom uncompress rc = %d, exiting.\n", rc);
                                                 exit(255);
                                                 }
 
@@ -4726,7 +4731,7 @@ for(;;)
         if((sectype == EOF) || (sectype == FST_BL_SKIP))
                 {
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-                fprintf(stderr, "<< EOF >>\n");
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"<< EOF >>\n");
 #endif
                 break;
                 }
@@ -4765,9 +4770,9 @@ for(;;)
         mem_required_for_traversal = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
         mem_for_traversal = malloc(mem_required_for_traversal + 66); /* add in potential fastlz overhead */
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "sec: %u seclen: %d begtim: %d endtim: %d\n",
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"sec: %u seclen: %d begtim: %d endtim: %d\n",
                 secnum, (int)seclen, (int)beg_tim, (int)end_tim);
-        fprintf(stderr, "\tmem_required_for_traversal: %d\n", (int)mem_required_for_traversal);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"mem_required_for_traversal: %d\n", (int)mem_required_for_traversal);
 #endif
         /* process time block */
         {
@@ -4785,7 +4790,7 @@ for(;;)
         tsec_clen = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
         tsec_nitems = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "\ttime section unc: %d, com: %d (%d items)\n",
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"time section unc: %d, com: %d (%d items)\n",
                 (int)tsec_uclen, (int)tsec_clen, (int)tsec_nitems);
 #endif
         if(tsec_clen > seclen) break; /* corrupted tsec_clen: by definition it can't be larger than size of section */
@@ -4805,7 +4810,7 @@ for(;;)
 
                 if(rc != Z_OK)
                         {
-                        printf("tsec uncompress rc = %d\n", rc);
+                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderIterBlocks2(), tsec uncompress rc = %d, exiting.\n", rc);
                         exit(255);
                         }
 
@@ -4881,7 +4886,7 @@ for(;;)
                                 rc = uncompress(mu, &destlen, mc, sourcelen);
                                 if(rc != Z_OK)
                                         {
-                                        printf("rc: %d\n", rc);
+                                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderIterBlocks2(), frame uncompress rc: %d, exiting.\n", rc);
                                         exit(255);
                                         }
                                 free(mc);
@@ -5044,9 +5049,9 @@ for(;;)
         packtype = fgetc(xc->f);
 
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "\tframe_uclen: %d, frame_clen: %d, frame_maxhandle: %d\n",
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"frame_uclen: %d, frame_clen: %d, frame_maxhandle: %d\n",
                 (int)frame_uclen, (int)frame_clen, (int)frame_maxhandle);
-        fprintf(stderr, "\tvc_maxhandle: %d, packtype: %c\n", (int)vc_maxhandle, packtype);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"vc_maxhandle: %d, packtype: %c\n", (int)vc_maxhandle, packtype);
 #endif
 
         indx_pntr = blkpos + seclen - 24 -tsec_clen -8;
@@ -5054,7 +5059,7 @@ for(;;)
         chain_clen = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
         indx_pos = indx_pntr - chain_clen;
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "\tindx_pos: %d (%d bytes)\n", (int)indx_pos, (int)chain_clen);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"indx_pos: %d (%d bytes)\n", (int)indx_pos, (int)chain_clen);
 #endif
         chain_cmem = malloc(chain_clen);
         if(!chain_cmem) goto block_err;
@@ -5173,7 +5178,7 @@ for(;;)
                 }
 
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-        fprintf(stderr, "\tdecompressed chain idx len: %"PRIu32"\n", idx);
+        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"decompressed chain idx len: %"PRIu32"\n", idx);
 #endif
 
         mc_mem_len = 16384;
@@ -5241,7 +5246,7 @@ for(;;)
 
                                 if(rc != Z_OK)
                                         {
-                                        printf("\tfac: %d clen: %d (rc=%d)\n", (int)i, (int)val, rc);
+                                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderIterBlocks2(), fac: %d clen: %d (rc=%d), exiting.\n", (int)i, (int)val, rc);
                                         exit(255);
                                         }
 
@@ -5793,9 +5798,9 @@ mem_required_for_traversal =
         fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "rvat sec: %u seclen: %d begtim: %d endtim: %d\n",
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"rvat sec: %u seclen: %d begtim: %d endtim: %d\n",
         secnum, (int)seclen, (int)beg_tim, (int)end_tim);
-fprintf(stderr, "\tmem_required_for_traversal: %d\n", (int)mem_required_for_traversal);
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"mem_required_for_traversal: %d\n", (int)mem_required_for_traversal);
 #endif
 
 /* process time block */
@@ -5814,7 +5819,7 @@ tsec_uclen = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 tsec_clen = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 tsec_nitems = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "\ttime section unc: %d, com: %d (%d items)\n",
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"time section unc: %d, com: %d (%d items)\n",
         (int)tsec_uclen, (int)tsec_clen, (int)tsec_nitems);
 #endif
 ucdata = malloc(tsec_uclen);
@@ -5831,7 +5836,7 @@ if(tsec_uclen != tsec_clen)
 
         if(rc != Z_OK)
                 {
-                printf("tsec uncompress rc = %d\n", rc);
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderGetValueFromHandleAtTime(), tsec uncompress rc = %d, exiting.\n", rc);
                 exit(255);
                 }
 
@@ -5879,7 +5884,7 @@ if(frame_uclen == frame_clen)
         rc = uncompress(xc->rvat_frame_data, &destlen, mc, sourcelen);
         if(rc != Z_OK)
                 {
-                printf("decompress rc: %d\n", rc);
+                fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderGetValueFromHandleAtTime(), frame decompress rc: %d, exiting.\n", rc);
                 exit(255);
                 }
         free(mc);
@@ -5890,9 +5895,9 @@ xc->rvat_vc_start = ftello(xc->f);      /* points to '!' character */
 xc->rvat_packtype = fgetc(xc->f);
 
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "\tframe_uclen: %d, frame_clen: %d, frame_maxhandle: %d\n",
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"frame_uclen: %d, frame_clen: %d, frame_maxhandle: %d\n",
         (int)frame_uclen, (int)frame_clen, (int)xc->rvat_frame_maxhandle);
-fprintf(stderr, "\tvc_maxhandle: %d\n", (int)xc->rvat_vc_maxhandle);
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"vc_maxhandle: %d\n", (int)xc->rvat_vc_maxhandle);
 #endif
 
 indx_pntr = blkpos + seclen - 24 -tsec_clen -8;
@@ -5900,7 +5905,7 @@ fstReaderFseeko(xc, xc->f, indx_pntr, SEEK_SET);
 chain_clen = fstReaderUint64(xc->f);
 indx_pos = indx_pntr - chain_clen;
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "\tindx_pos: %d (%d bytes)\n", (int)indx_pos, (int)chain_clen);
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"indx_pos: %d (%d bytes)\n", (int)indx_pos, (int)chain_clen);
 #endif
 chain_cmem = malloc(chain_clen);
 fstReaderFseeko(xc, xc->f, indx_pos, SEEK_SET);
@@ -6011,7 +6016,7 @@ for(i=0;i<idx;i++)
         }
 
 #ifdef FST_DEBUG
-fprintf(stderr, "\tdecompressed chain idx len: %"PRIu32"\n", idx);
+fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"decompressed chain idx len: %"PRIu32"\n", idx);
 #endif
 
 xc->rvat_data_valid = 1;
@@ -6071,7 +6076,7 @@ if(!xc->rvat_chain_mem)
 
                 if(rc != Z_OK)
                         {
-                        printf("\tclen: %d (rc=%d)\n", (int)xc->rvat_chain_len, rc);
+                        fprintf(stderr, FST_APIMESS"fstReaderGetValueFromHandleAtTime(), rvat decompress clen: %d (rc=%d), exiting.\n", (int)xc->rvat_chain_len, rc);
                         exit(255);
                         }