diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6f4b8aae..6f5e1d89 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ wmii9menu: 9menu.o
 
 clean:
 	@echo cleaning
-	@rm -f ${BIN} ${OBJ} wmii-${VERSION}.tar.gz
+	@rm -f ${BIN} ${OBJ} 9menu.o wmii-${VERSION}.tar.gz
 
 dist: clean
 	@echo creating dist tarball
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ install: all
 	@for i in ${SCRIPTS}; do \
 		sed "s|CONFPREFIX|${CONFPREFIX}|g; \
 		     s|CONFVERSION|${CONFVERSION}|g; \
-		     s|AWKPATH|${AWKPATH}|g" < $$i >${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/bin/$$i; \
+		     s|AWKPATH|${AWKPATH}|g" \
+			$$i \
+			>${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/bin/$$i; \
 		chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/bin/$$i; \
 	 done
 	@for i in ${BIN}; do\
@@ -71,13 +73,19 @@ install: all
 	@echo installing scripts to ${DESTDIR}${CONFPREFIX}/wmii-${CONFVERSION}
 	@mkdir -p -m 0755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFPREFIX}/wmii-${CONFVERSION}
 	@cd rc; for i in *; do \
-		sed 's|CONFPREFIX|${CONFPREFIX}|g' <$$i >${DESTDIR}${CONFPREFIX}/wmii-${CONFVERSION}/$$i; \
+		sed "s|CONFPREFIX|${CONFPREFIX}|g; \
+		     s|PLAN9BASE|${PLAN9BASE}|g" \
+			$$i \
+			>${DESTDIR}${CONFPREFIX}/wmii-${CONFVERSION}/$$i; \
 		chmod 755 ${DESTDIR}${CONFPREFIX}/wmii-${CONFVERSION}/$$i; \
 	 done
 	@echo installing manual page to ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1
 	@mkdir -p -m 0755 ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1
 	@for i in ${MAN1:=.1}; do \
-		sed "s/VERSION/${VERSION}/g; s|CONFPREFIX|${CONFPREFIX}|g" < $$i > ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/$$i; \
+		sed "s/VERSION/${VERSION}/g; \
+		     s|CONFPREFIX|${CONFPREFIX}|g" \
+			$$i \
+			>${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/$$i; \
 		chmod 644 ${DESTDIR}${MANPREFIX}/man1/$$i; \
 	 done
 
diff --git a/config.mk b/config.mk
index 47f3ac8f..e209e4d1 100644
--- a/config.mk
+++ b/config.mk
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # wmii version
-VERSION = $$(hg tip --template 'hg{rev}')
+VERSION = $$(hg tip --template 'hg{rev}' 2>/dev/null)
 CONFVERSION = 3.5
 
 # Customize below to fit your system
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ PREFIX = /usr/local
 CONFPREFIX = ${PREFIX}/etc
 MANPREFIX = ${PREFIX}/share/man
 AWKPATH = /usr/bin/awk
+PLAN9BASE = $${PLAN9:-/usr/local/plan9}
 
 X11INC = /usr/X11R6/include
 X11LIB = /usr/X11R6/lib
diff --git a/rc/rc.wmii b/rc/rc.wmii
index d9261c4c..d9539289 100755
--- a/rc/rc.wmii
+++ b/rc/rc.wmii
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/local/plan9/bin/rc
+#!PLAN9BASE/bin/rc
 # WMII Configuration
 
 oldpath=$path
@@ -226,4 +226,4 @@ wmiir read /event |
 	while(*=`{read}) {
 		event = $1; shift
 		Event-$event $*
-	}
+	} >[2]/dev/null