diff --git a/apt.mk b/apt.mk
index bf30b81..0741f74 100644
--- a/apt.mk
+++ b/apt.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY = $(MANDATORY) APT_PACKAGES
+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/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..1fdf5bd 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 NAMESPACE
 # helm
 #
 # deploys helm charts on k8s via helm
diff --git a/k8s.mk b/k8s.mk
index a4bfae0..08885ca 100644
--- a/k8s.mk
+++ b/k8s.mk
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # deploys k8s
 
-MANDATORY = K8S_CONTEXT
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) K8S_CONTEXT
 
 start-k8s:
 	@- echo "\n### starting deployment with k8s"
diff --git a/kustomize.mk b/kustomize.mk
index 0befd79..9bdcfdf 100644
--- a/kustomize.mk
+++ b/kustomize.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY = 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 40ef637..8210118 100644
--- a/simple.mk
+++ b/simple.mk
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
-#MANDATORY = $(MANDATORY) DEPLOY_PATH
-
-# 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 f1ebb27..45f67b8 100644
--- a/swarm.mk
+++ b/swarm.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-MANDATORY = DEPLOY_PATH DEPLOY_NAME DEPLOY_HOSTS DEPLOY_TYPE
-
 pull-swarm:
 
 start-swarm:
diff --git a/tf.mk b/tf.mk
index 01816f7..df910ed 100644
--- a/tf.mk
+++ b/tf.mk
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-MANDATORY = $(MANDATORY) TF_FLAGS
+MANDATORY = $(shell printenv MANDATORY) TF_FLAGS
 
 # tf
 #