diff --git a/src/main/scala/sbt/Compile.scala b/src/main/scala/sbt/Compile.scala
index c103e4e4b..49a04d209 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/sbt/Compile.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/sbt/Compile.scala
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@ sealed abstract class CompilerCore
 		val classpathSet = fileSet(classpath)
 		val scalaCompile = process("Scala", scalaSources, processScala(scalaSources, classpathSet, outputDirectory.asFile, scalaOptions, log) )
 		val javaCompile = process("Java", javaSources, processJava(javaSources, classpathSet, outputDirectory.asFile, javaOptions, log))
-		try { doCompile(label, sources, outputDirectory, order, log)(javaCompile, scalaCompile) }
-		catch { case e: xsbti.CompileFailed => log.trace(e); Some(e.toString) }
+		doCompile(label, sources, outputDirectory, order, log)(javaCompile, scalaCompile)
 	}
 	protected def doCompile(label: String, sources: Iterable[Path], outputDirectory: Path, order: CompileOrder.Value, log: Logger)(javaCompile: () => Unit, scalaCompile: () => Unit) =
 	{
@@ -40,14 +39,16 @@ sealed abstract class CompilerCore
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			FileUtilities.createDirectory(outputDirectory.asFile, log) orElse Control.trapUnit("Compiler error: ", log)
-			{
-				val (first, second) = if(order == CompileOrder.JavaThenScala) (javaCompile, scalaCompile) else (scalaCompile, javaCompile)
-				first()
-				second()
-				log.info(actionSuccessfulMessage)
-				None
-			}
+			FileUtilities.createDirectory(outputDirectory.asFile, log) orElse
+				(try
+				{
+					val (first, second) = if(order == CompileOrder.JavaThenScala) (javaCompile, scalaCompile) else (scalaCompile, javaCompile)
+					first()
+					second()
+					log.info(actionSuccessfulMessage)
+					None
+				}
+				catch { case e: xsbti.CompileFailed => Some(e.toString) })
 		}
 	}
 	def actionStartMessage(label: String): String
diff --git a/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala b/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
index c3db9ff0e..846419578 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class xMain extends xsbti.AppMain
 	private def startProject(project: Project, configuration: xsbti.AppConfiguration, remainingArguments: List[String], startTime: Long): xsbti.MainResult =
 	{
 		project.log.info("Building project " + project.name + " " + project.version.toString + " against Scala " + project.buildScalaVersion)
-		project.log.info("   using " + project.getClass.getName + " with sbt " + project.sbtVersion.value + " and Scala " + project.scalaVersion.value)
+		project.log.info("   using " + project.getClass.getName + " with sbt " + project.sbtVersion.value + " and Scala " + project.defScalaVersion.value)
 
 		processArguments(project, initialize(remainingArguments), configuration, startTime) match
 		{
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ class xMain extends xsbti.AppMain
 			{
 				case "" :: tail => process(project, tail, isInteractive)
 				case (ExitCommand | QuitCommand) :: _ => Exit(NormalExitCode)
-				case RebootCommand :: tail => Reboot(project.scalaVersion.value, saveProject(tail), configuration)
+				case RebootCommand :: tail => Reboot(project.defScalaVersion.value, saveProject(tail), configuration)
 				case InteractiveCommand :: _ => process(project, prompt(baseProject, project) :: arguments, true)
 				case SpecificBuild(version, action) :: tail =>
 					if(Some(version) != baseProject.info.buildScalaVersion)
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ class xMain extends xsbti.AppMain
 						property.setStringValue(newValue)
 						property match
 						{
-							case project.scalaVersion => notePending("Scala ")
+							case project.defScalaVersion | project.buildScalaVersions => notePending("Scala ")
 							case project.sbtVersion => notePending("sbt ")
 							case _ =>  Console.println(" Set property '" + name + "' = '" + newValue + "'")
 						}
diff --git a/src/main/scala/sbt/Project.scala b/src/main/scala/sbt/Project.scala
index e9f8b1567..0f3d5b504 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/sbt/Project.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/sbt/Project.scala
@@ -212,21 +212,20 @@ trait Project extends TaskManager with Dag[Project] with BasicEnvironment
 	/** The property for the project's organization.  Defaults to the parent project's organization or the project name if there is no parent. */
 	final val projectOrganization = propertyOptional[String](normalizedName, true)
 	/** The property that defines the version of Scala to use with the project definition.  This can be different
-	* from the version of Scala used to build the project (defined initially by buildInitScalaVersion).
+	* from the version of Scala used to build the project (current version used is buildScalaVersion, available are in buildScalaVersions).
 	* This property is only read by `sbt` on startup and reload. It is the definitive source for the version of Scala
 	* that sbt and the project definition are using.*/
-	final val scalaVersion = property[String]
+	final val defScalaVersion = property[String]
 	final val sbtVersion = property[String]
 	final val projectInitialize = propertyOptional[Boolean](false)
 	final val projectScratch = propertyOptional[Boolean](false, true)
-	/** The property that defines the version of Scala to build this project with by default.  This can be
-	* different from the version of Scala used to build and run the project definition (defined by scalaVersion).
-	* This property is only read by `sbt` on startup and reload.  When cross-building, this value may be different from the actual
-	* version of Scala being used to build the project.  info.scalaVersion is always the definitive source for the current Scala version.
-	* This property should only be used to change the version of Scala used for normal development (not cross-building).*/
-	final val buildInitScalaVersion = propertyOptional[String](scalaVersion.value, true)
+	/** The property that defines the versions of Scala to build this project against as a comma separated string.  This can be
+	* different from the version of Scala used to build and run the project definition (defined by defScalaVersion).
+	* This property is only read by `sbt` on startup and reload.  The definitive source for the version of Scala currently
+	* being used is buildScalaVersion.*/
+	final val buildScalaVersions = propertyOptional[String](defScalaVersion.value, true)
 	/** The definitive source for the version of Scala being used to *build* the project.*/
-	def buildScalaVersion = info.buildScalaVersion.getOrElse(buildInitScalaVersion.value)
+	def buildScalaVersion = info.buildScalaVersion.getOrElse(crossScalaVersions.first)
 
 	def componentManager = new xsbt.ComponentManager(info.launcher.globalLock, info.app.components, log)
 	def buildScalaInstance =
@@ -250,13 +249,12 @@ trait Project extends TaskManager with Dag[Project] with BasicEnvironment
 
 	/** True if crossPath should be the identity function.*/
 	protected def disableCrossPaths = crossScalaVersions.isEmpty
-	/** By default, this is empty and cross-building is disabled.  Overriding this to a Set of Scala versions
-	* will enable cross-building against those versions.*/
-	def crossScalaVersions: immutable.Set[String] =
+	/** By default, this is the build.scala.versions property split around commas.  This can be overridden directly if preferred.*/
+	def crossScalaVersions: Seq[String] =
 		info.parent match
 		{
 			case Some(p) => p.crossScalaVersions
-			case None => immutable.Set.empty[String]
+			case None => buildScalaVersions.value.split("""\s*,\s*""").toList.reverse.removeDuplicates.reverse
 		}
 	/** A `PathFinder` that determines the files watched when an action is run with a preceeding ~ when this is the current
 	* project.  This project does not need to include the watched paths for projects that this project depends on.*/