diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
index f76e763..33511fc 100644
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 MIT License
 Copyright (c) 2022 Andreas Neue <an@dnix.de>
-Copyright (c) 2022-23 the make-deploy authors (see CONTRIBUTORS)
+Copyright (c) 2022-25 the make-deploy authors (see CONTRIBUTORS)
 
 Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
 this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 751fbf6..59a1159 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 DEPLOY_START_DELAY = 0
+DEPLOY_PROJECT_DIR =
+
+MANDATORY = DEPLOY_NAME DEPLOY_HOSTS DEPLOY_PATH SSH_USER
 
 -include secrets.mk
 include config.mk
@@ -9,20 +12,19 @@ ifeq ($(DEPLOY_TYPE), copy)
 	DEPLOY_TYPE = simple
 endif
 
+project_dir = $(DEPLOY_PATH)/$(DEPLOY_NAME)$(DEPLOY_PROJECT_DIR)
+
 include make-deploy/$(DEPLOY_TYPE).mk
 
-.PHONY: self-update mandatory cleanup prerequisites prepare build test deploy pre-deploy post-deploy pre-local post-local upload pull start stop restart reload
+.PHONY: self-update mandatory cleanup prerequisites prepare build test deploy pre-deploy post-deploy pre-local post-local upload pull start stop restart reload notify
 
 self-update:
 	@- git submodule update --remote
 
-deploy: mandatory cleanup prepare build test upload pre-deploy pre-local pull start post-local post-deploy reload
+deploy: mandatory cleanup prepare build test upload pre-deploy pre-local pull start notify post-local post-deploy reload
 
 mandatory:
 	@- echo "\n### mandatory check"
-ifndef MANDATORY-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
-	$(error MANDATORY-$(DEPLOY_TYPE) is not defined)
-endif
 	@ $(foreach var,$(MANDATORY), \
 		if test -z "${$(var)}"; then \
 			echo "Missing mandatory variable: $(var)"; \
@@ -123,7 +125,17 @@ pull: pull-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
 start: start-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
 
 stop: stop-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
-	
+
+notify:
+ifdef DEPLOY_NOTIFY_HOSTS
+ifdef DEPLOY_NOTIFY_MAIL
+ifdef DEPLOY_NOTIFY_MSG
+	@- echo "\n### notify"
+	@- echo "$$DEPLOY_NOTIFY_MSG :: Please deploy manually on following hosts: $$DEPLOY_NOTIFY_HOSTS" | mail -s "make-deploy notification" $(DEPLOY_MAIL)
+endif
+endif
+endif
+
 logs: logs-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
 
 restart: restart-$(DEPLOY_TYPE)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dc4693c..ca140d4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 A simple Makefile based deployment system.
 
-**make-deploy** was initially hosted at https://git.dnix.de/an/make-deploy. Since it has become heavily used at chefkoch.de for system deployments, and lots of code is committed there, we moved the repo to https://git.chefkoch.net/pub/make-deploy. A mirror still exists at https://git.dnix.de/mirror/make-deploy.
-
 **make-deploy** is licensed under the terms of the MIT-License. See [LICENSE](LICENSE) for info.
 
 ## Installation
@@ -24,6 +22,7 @@ Example `config.mk`:
 	DEPLOY_PATH = /srv
 	DEPLOY_TYPE = compose
 	DEPLOY_HOSTS = server01.example.com server02.example.com
+	DEPLOY_SUBPATH = my-sub-path
 
 	DOCKER_IMAGE = dr.example.com/my-project:latest
 	DOCKER_LOGIN = 1
@@ -36,6 +35,8 @@ Example `secrets.mk`:
     DOCKER_USER = root
     DOCKER_PASS = secret1234
 
+`DEPLOY_SUBPATH` is used to define a location for `DEPLOY_TYPE` = compose that states where the docker-compose.yml is placed at. If that variable is undefined, it is expected to be in projects root.
+
 By setting `DEPLOY_CONFIG_OVERRIDE`, an alternative config can be loaded to override existing configuration settings. This is useful in script calling make deploy or in a `.gitlab-ci.yml` in order to control settings for different targets.
 
 ## Usage
diff --git a/apt.mk b/apt.mk
index b3099ea..0741f74 100644
--- a/apt.mk
+++ b/apt.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY-apt = DEPLOY_HOSTS SSH_USER APT_PACKAGES DEPLOY_NAME
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) APT_PACKAGES
 
 pull-apt:
 	# nop
diff --git a/compose-file.mk b/compose-file.mk
index 03a194c..37a98d1 100644
--- a/compose-file.mk
+++ b/compose-file.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY-compose-file = DEPLOY_HOSTS DEPLOY_TYPE SSH_USER DEPLOY_COMPOSE_FILE DEPLOY_COMPOSE_PROJECT
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) SSH_USER DEPLOY_COMPOSE_FILE DEPLOY_COMPOSE_PROJECT
 
 ifndef DOCKER_LOGIN
 DOCKER_LOGIN = 0
diff --git a/compose.mk b/compose.mk
index 6de67f8..ec8b6b3 100644
--- a/compose.mk
+++ b/compose.mk
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
-MANDATORY-compose = DEPLOY_HOSTS DEPLOY_TYPE SSH_USER DEPLOY_NAME
+ifdef DOCKER_LOGIN
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) DOCKER_USER DOCKER_PASS DOCKER_REGISTRY
+endif
 
 ifndef DOCKER_LOGIN
 DOCKER_LOGIN = 0
 endif
 
 pull-compose:
-	@- echo "\n### pulling image(s)"
-	@- $(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
+	@echo "\n### pulling image(s)"
+	$(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
 		echo "$(host)"; \
-		if test $(DOCKER_LOGIN) -eq 1 ; \
+		if test "$(DOCKER_LOGIN)" = "1" ; \
 		then \
-			echo "\n#### perfom docker login with user $(DOCKER_USER) on $(DOCKER_REGISTRY)"; \
+			echo "\n#### perform docker login with user $(DOCKER_USER) on $(DOCKER_REGISTRY)"; \
 			ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "docker login -u $(DOCKER_USER) -p $(DOCKER_PASS) $(DOCKER_REGISTRY)"; \
 		fi; \
 		if test -n "$(DOCKER_IMAGE)" ; \
@@ -20,27 +22,24 @@ pull-compose:
 	)
 
 start-compose:
-	@- echo "\n### starting service(s)"
-	@- $(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
+	@echo "\n### starting service(s)"
+	$(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
 		echo "$(host)"; \
-		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(DEPLOY_PATH)/$(DEPLOY_NAME); docker-compose up -d"; \
+		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(project_dir); docker-compose up -d"; \
 		sleep $(DEPLOY_START_DELAY); \
 	)
 
-stop-compose:
-	@- echo "\n### stopping service(s)"
-	@- $(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
-		echo "$(host)"; \
-		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(DEPLOY_PATH)/$(DEPLOY_NAME); docker-compose down"; \
-	)
-		
 logs-compose:
-	@- echo "\n### logs"
-	@- ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(DEPLOY_PATH)/$(DEPLOY_NAME); docker-compose logs -f $(service)"
-	
-restart-compose:
-	@- $(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
+	@echo "\n### logs"
+	$(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
 		echo "$(host)"; \
-		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(DEPLOY_PATH)/$(DEPLOY_NAME); docker-compose restart"; \
+		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(project_dir); docker-compose logs -f $(service)"; \
+	)
+
+restart-compose:
+	@echo "\n### restarting service(s)"
+	$(foreach host,$(DEPLOY_HOSTS), \
+		echo "$(host)"; \
+		ssh $(SSH_USER)@$(host) "cd $(project_dir); docker-compose restart"; \
 		sleep $(DEPLOY_START_DELAY); \
 	)
diff --git a/cron.mk b/cron.mk
index f107828..ad5a78d 100644
--- a/cron.mk
+++ b/cron.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY-cron = true
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) CRON_USER 
 
 start-cron:
 	@- echo "\n### starting..."
diff --git a/helm.mk b/helm.mk
index a1ef5ab..394fb8c 100644
--- a/helm.mk
+++ b/helm.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY-helm = K8S_CONTEXT HELM_CHART_NAME HELM_CHART_PATH HELM_VALUES_FILE NAMESPACE
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) K8S_CONTEXT HELM_CHART_NAME HELM_CHART_PATH HELM_VALUES_FILE K8S_NAMESPACE
 # helm
 #
 # deploys helm charts on k8s via helm
diff --git a/k8s.mk b/k8s.mk
index 37f712c..b439929 100644
--- a/k8s.mk
+++ b/k8s.mk
@@ -2,15 +2,16 @@
 #
 # deploys k8s
 
-MANDATORY-k8s = K8S_CONTEXT
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) K8S_CONTEXT
+K8S_MANIFEST_FILENAME ?= kubernetes.yaml
 
 start-k8s:
 	@- echo "\n### starting deployment with k8s"
 	@- echo "\n### setting kubernetes context to $(K8S_CONTEXT)"
 	@ kubectl config use-context $(K8S_CONTEXT)
 
-	@- echo "\n### run kubectl apply -f kubernetes.yaml and secrets.yaml"
-	@ cat kubernetes.yaml secrets.yaml | envsubst | kubectl apply -f -
+	@- echo "\n### run kubectl apply -f $(K8S_MANIFEST_FILENAME) and secrets.yaml"
+	@ cat $(K8S_MANIFEST_FILENAME) secrets.yaml | envsubst | kubectl apply $(K8S_ADDITIONAL_PARAMS) -f -
 
 pull-k8s:
 # nop
diff --git a/kustomize.mk b/kustomize.mk
index 60dacac..9bdcfdf 100644
--- a/kustomize.mk
+++ b/kustomize.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY-kustomize = K8S_CONTEXT KUSTOMIZE_FOLDER NAMESPACE
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) K8S_CONTEXT KUSTOMIZE_FOLDER NAMESPACE
 # kustomize
 #
 # this uses kustomize to install stuff on k8s
diff --git a/simple.mk b/simple.mk
index b95bf0f..8210118 100644
--- a/simple.mk
+++ b/simple.mk
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
-MANDATORY-copy = DEPLOY_TYPE DEPLOY_HOSTS SSH_USER DEPLOY_PATH DEPLOY_NAME
-MANDATORY-simple = $(MANDATORY-copy)
-
-# copy
+# simple 
 #
 # this just rsyncs the stuff to the remote server(s) and runs
 # build.sh, pre-/post-deploy, pre-/post-local, start.sh, etc.
 
+ifndef DEPLOY_StART_DELAY
+DEPLOY_START_DELAY = 0
+endif
+
 pull-simple:
 	# nop
 	
diff --git a/swarm.mk b/swarm.mk
index 913a125..45f67b8 100644
--- a/swarm.mk
+++ b/swarm.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-MANDATORY-swarm = DEPLOY_HOSTS DEPLOY_TYPE TAG
-
 pull-swarm:
 
 start-swarm:
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index 42d08f0..88d79e1 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function test_with_minimal_vars_compose(){
   cp $TESTS/compose_config.mk config.mk
   cp $TESTS/docker-compose.yml .
   make deploy
-  rm -f docker-compose.yml config.mk
+  rm -f docker-compose.yml
 }
 
 function test_with_minimal_vars_compose_file(){
@@ -38,16 +38,7 @@ function test_with_minimal_vars_compose_file(){
   cp $TESTS/compose_file_config.mk config.mk
   cp $TESTS/docker-compose.yml .
   make deploy
-  rm -f docker-compose.yml config.mk
-}
-
-function test_with_minimal_vars_compose_and_tag(){
-  echo "::::::::: $FUNCNAME ::::::::::::"
-  cp $TESTS/compose_config.tag.mk config.mk
-  cp $TESTS/docker-compose.tag.yml docker-compose.yml
-  echo "TAG=3.17" > .env
-  make deploy
-  rm -f docker-compose.yml config.mk
+  rm -f docker-compose.yml
 }
 
 prepdir
@@ -55,6 +46,5 @@ prepdir
 test_with_minimal_vars_apt
 test_with_minimal_vars_compose
 test_with_minimal_vars_compose_file
-test_with_minimal_vars_compose_and_tag
 
 cleandir
diff --git a/testing/compose_config.tag.mk b/testing/compose_config.tag.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index c63ecb7..0000000
--- a/testing/compose_config.tag.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-DEPLOY_NAME = make-deploy-test-compose-tag
-DEPLOY_PATH = /tmp
-DEPLOY_HOSTS = localhost
-DEPLOY_TYPE = compose
-SSH_USER = $(USER)
diff --git a/testing/docker-compose.tag.yml b/testing/docker-compose.tag.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index c6cee18..0000000
--- a/testing/docker-compose.tag.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-services:
-  curl:
-    image: "alpine:${TAG}"
-    command: cat /etc/os-release
diff --git a/tf.mk b/tf.mk
index b06e579..df910ed 100644
--- a/tf.mk
+++ b/tf.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-MANDATORY-tf = 
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) TF_FLAGS
+
 # tf
 #
 # deploys via tf apply