diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 508534c..65bfb57 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <modelVersion>4.0.0</modelVersion>
   <groupId>FARMIND</groupId>
   <artifactId>FARMIND</artifactId>
-  <version>0.12.0</version>
+  <version>0.12.1</version>
   <build>
     <plugins>
       <plugin>
diff --git a/src/main/java/farmind/agent/Farm.java b/src/main/java/farmind/agent/Farm.java
index b313a79..fb2e17d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/farmind/agent/Farm.java
+++ b/src/main/java/farmind/agent/Farm.java
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public List<String> decideActivitySet(List<Farm> allFarms, Properties cmd) {
         FuzzyLogicCalculator fuzzyLogicCalc = new FuzzyLogicCalculator(this, allFarms);  // calculator for the activity selection
         
         // modified simulation using only satisfaction
-        if (cmd.getProperty("uncertainty").equals("0")) {
+        if (cmd.getProperty("uncertainty", "1").equals("0")) {
             if (this.Satisfaction >= this.getP_aspiration_coef() ) {
                 this.strategy = 4; //REPETITION
                 for (int i = 0; i < this.getCurrentActivity().size(); i++) {
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ public List<String> decideActivitySet(List<Farm> allFarms, Properties cmd) {
         else {
             if (this.Activity_Dissimilarity >= this.p_activity_tolerance_coef
              || this.Income_Dissimilarity   >= this.p_income_tolerance_coef) {  
-                if (cmd.getProperty("noOptOut").equals("1")
+                if (cmd.getProperty("noOptOut", "0").equals("1")
                  || this.Satisfaction >= this.getP_aspiration_coef()) {
                     this.strategy = 2; //IMITATION
                     ActivitySet = fuzzyLogicCalc.getImitationActivities();
diff --git a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/FarmDyn.java b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/FarmDyn.java
index 7cecee4..8508245 100644
--- a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/FarmDyn.java
+++ b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/FarmDyn.java
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public void runModel(Properties cmd, int nFarm, int year, boolean pricingAverage
 	 * @throws 
 	 */
 	private static void createRunGamsBatch(Properties cmd, String OS) throws FileNotFoundException {
-		if (cmd.getProperty("debug").equals("1")) {
+		if (cmd.getProperty("debug", "0").equals("1")) {
 			if (OS.equals("win")) {
 				LOGGER.info("Creating run_gams.bat file for debug");
 				try (PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter("run_gams.bat")) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/SwissLand.java b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/SwissLand.java
index 71acd8c..769651b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/SwissLand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/SwissLand.java
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public void runModel(Properties cmd, int nFarm, int year, boolean pricingAverage
 	 * @throws FileNotFoundException 
 	 */
 	private static void createRunGamsBatch(Properties cmd, String OS) throws FileNotFoundException {
-		if (cmd.getProperty("debug").equals("1")) {
+		if (cmd.getProperty("debug", "0").equals("1")) {
 			if (OS.equals("win")) {
 				LOGGER.info("Creating run_gams.bat file for debug");
 				try (PrintWriter writer = new PrintWriter("run_gams.bat")) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/WeedControl.java b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/WeedControl.java
index c768d5f..9254e09 100644
--- a/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/WeedControl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/farmind/mathematical_programming/WeedControl.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public void runModel(Properties cmd, int nFarm, int year, boolean pricingAverage
 	 * @throws IOException 
 	 */
 	private static void createRunGamsBatch(Properties cmd, String OS) throws IOException {
-		if (cmd.getProperty("debug").equals("1")) {
+		if (cmd.getProperty("debug", "0").equals("1")) {
 			if (OS.equals("win")) {
 				LOGGER.info("Creating run_gams.bat file for debug");
 				File f = new File("run_gams.bat");