diff --git a/EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh b/EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh
index 0c832fdee9..72a047836d 100755
--- a/EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh
+++ b/EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,52 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 #
 # Script to install EESSI pilot software stack (version 2021.12)
-#
+
+# see example parsing of command line arguments at
+#   https://wiki.bash-hackers.org/scripting/posparams#using_a_while_loop
+#   https://stackoverflow.com/questions/192249/how-do-i-parse-command-line-arguments-in-bash
+
+display_help() {
+  echo "usage: $0 [OPTIONS]"
+  echo "  -g | --generic         -  instructs script to build for generic architecture target"
+  echo "  -h | --help            -  display this usage information"
+  echo "  -x | --http-proxy URL  -  provides URL for the environment variable http_proxy"
+  echo "  -y | --https-proxy URL -  provides URL for the environment variable https_proxy"
+}
+
+POSITIONAL_ARGS=()
+
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+  case $1 in
+    -g|--generic)
+      EASYBUILD_OPTARCH="GENERIC"
+      shift
+      ;;
+    -h|--help)
+      display_help  # Call your function
+      # no shifting needed here, we're done.
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    -x|--http-proxy)
+      export http_proxy="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    -y|--https-proxy)
+      export https_proxy="$2"
+      shift 2
+      ;;
+    -*|--*)
+      echo "Error: Unknown option: $1" >&2
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+    *)  # No more options
+      POSITIONAL_ARGS+=("$1") # save positional arg
+      shift
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
+
+set -- "${POSITIONAL_ARGS[@]}"
 
 TOPDIR=$(dirname $(realpath $0))
 
@@ -39,7 +84,7 @@ export PYTHONPYCACHEPREFIX=$TMPDIR/pycache
 DETECTION_PARAMETERS=''
 GENERIC=0
 EB='eb'
-if [[ "$1" == "--generic" || "$EASYBUILD_OPTARCH" == "GENERIC" ]]; then
+if [[ "$EASYBUILD_OPTARCH" == "GENERIC" ]]; then
     echo_yellow ">> GENERIC build requested, taking appropriate measures!"
     DETECTION_PARAMETERS="$DETECTION_PARAMETERS --generic"
     GENERIC=1
@@ -52,7 +97,7 @@ export EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE=$(python3 $TOPDIR/eessi_software_subdir.py
 # Set all the EESSI environment variables (respecting $EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE)
 # $EESSI_SILENT - don't print any messages
 # $EESSI_BASIC_ENV - give a basic set of environment variables
-EESSI_SILENT=1 EESSI_BASIC_ENV=1 source $TOPDIR/init/eessi_environment_variables
+EESSI_SILENT=0 EESSI_BASIC_ENV=1 source $TOPDIR/init/eessi_environment_variables
 
 if [[ -z ${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR} ]]; then
     fatal_error "Failed to determine software subdirectory?!"
@@ -88,10 +133,12 @@ else
 fi
 
 REQ_EB_VERSION='4.5.0'
+#REQ_EB_VERSION='4.6.1'
 
 echo ">> Checking for EasyBuild module..."
 ml_av_easybuild_out=$TMPDIR/ml_av_easybuild.out
 module avail 2>&1 | grep -i easybuild/${REQ_EB_VERSION} &> ${ml_av_easybuild_out}
+
 if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
     echo_green ">> EasyBuild module found!"
 else
@@ -102,12 +149,24 @@ else
     pip_install_out=${TMPDIR}/pip_install.out
     pip3 install --prefix $EB_TMPDIR easybuild &> ${pip_install_out}
 
+    echo "pip_install_out"
+    cat ${pip_install_out}
+
     echo ">> Final installation in ${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH}..."
     export PATH=${EB_TMPDIR}/bin:$PATH
     export PYTHONPATH=$(ls -d ${EB_TMPDIR}/lib/python*/site-packages):$PYTHONPATH
+    echo "which eb = '$(which eb)'"
+    eb --show-config
+
     eb_install_out=${TMPDIR}/eb_install.out
     eb --install-latest-eb-release &> ${eb_install_out}
+#    eb EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb >> ${eb_install_out} 2>&1
+
+    echo "eb_install_out"
+    cat ${eb_install_out}
 
+    echo "eb --search EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb..."
+    eb --search EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb
     eb --search EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb | grep EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb > /dev/null
     if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
         eb EasyBuild-${REQ_EB_VERSION}.eb >> ${eb_install_out} 2>&1
@@ -117,12 +176,15 @@ else
     if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
         echo_green ">> EasyBuild module installed!"
     else
-        fatal_error "EasyBuild/${REQ_EB_VERSION} module failed to install?! (output of 'pip install' in ${pip_install_out}, output of 'eb' in ${eb_install_out}, output of 'ml av easybuild' in ${ml_av_easybuild_out})"
+        fatal_error "EasyBuild/${REQ_EB_VERSION} module failed to install?! (output of 'pip install' in ${pip_install_out} --$(cat ${pip_install_out})--, output of 'eb' in ${eb_install_out} --$(cat ${eb_install_out})--, output of 'ml av easybuild' in ${ml_av_easybuild_out}) --$(cat ${ml_av_easybuild_out})--"
     fi
 fi
 
+ls -l $MODULEPATH
+
 echo ">> Loading EasyBuild module..."
 module load EasyBuild/$REQ_EB_VERSION
+#module --ignore_cache load EasyBuild/$REQ_EB_VERSION
 eb_show_system_info_out=${TMPDIR}/eb_show_system_info.out
 $EB --show-system-info > ${eb_show_system_info_out}
 if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
@@ -150,6 +212,14 @@ fail_msg="Failed to install Java, woopsie..."
 $EB Java-11.eb --robot --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2557
 check_exit_code $? "${ok_msg}" "${fail_msg}"
 
+# install Java with fixed custom easyblock that uses patchelf to ensure right glibc is picked up,
+# see https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer/issues/123
+# and https://github.com/easybuilders/easybuild-easyblocks/pull/2557
+#ok_msg="Java 11.0.16 installed, off to a good (?) start!"
+#fail_msg="Failed to install Java 11.0.16, woopsie..."
+#$EB Java-11.0.16.eb --robot --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2557
+#check_exit_code $? "${ok_msg}" "${fail_msg}"
+
 # install GCC for foss/2020a
 export GCC_EC="GCC-9.3.0.eb"
 echo ">> Starting slow with ${GCC_EC}..."
@@ -305,6 +375,15 @@ fail_msg="Installation of WRF failed, that's unexpected..."
 OMPI_MCA_pml=ucx UCX_TLS=tcp $EB WRF-3.9.1.1-foss-2020a-dmpar.eb -r --include-easyblocks-from-pr 2648
 check_exit_code $? "${ok_msg}" "${fail_msg}"
 
+### add packages here
+export CaDiCaL_EC="CaDiCaL-1.3.0-GCC-9.3.0.eb"
+echo ">> Installing ${CaDiCaL_EC}..."
+ok_msg="${CaDiCaL_EC} installed, let's solve some problems!"
+fail_msg="Installation of ${CaDiCaL_EC} failed, that's a pity..."
+$EB ${CaDiCaL_EC} --robot
+check_exit_code $? "${ok_msg}" "${fail_msg}"
+
+
 echo ">> Creating/updating Lmod cache..."
 export LMOD_RC="${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH}/.lmod/lmodrc.lua"
 if [ ! -f $LMOD_RC ]; then
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 508763c090..4d463b1c5b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,21 +6,17 @@ See also https://eessi.github.io/docs/software_layer.
 
 ## Pilot software stack
 
-A script that sets up your environment to start using the 2020.08 version of the EESSI pilot software stack
-is available at `EESSI-pilot-2020.08_init.sh`.
-
-This script should be copied to `/cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/2020.08/init/bash` if it is not available there already,
-and sourced to set up your environment:
+You can set up your environment by sourcing the init script:
 
 ```
-$ source /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/2020.08/init/bash
-Found EESSI pilot repo @ /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/2020.08!
+$ source /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12/init/bash
+Found EESSI pilot repo @ /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12!
 Derived subdirectory for software layer: x86_64/intel/haswell
 Using x86_64/intel/haswell subdirectory for software layer (HARDCODED)
 Initializing Lmod...
-Prepending /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/2020.08/software/x86_64/intel/haswell/modules/all to $MODULEPATH...
+Prepending /cvmfs/pilot.eessi-hpc.org/versions/2021.12/software/x86_64/intel/haswell/modules/all to $MODULEPATH...
 Environment set up to use EESSI pilot software stack, have fun!
-[EESSI pilot 2020.08] $
+[EESSI pilot 2021.12] $
 ```
 
 # License
diff --git a/build_container.sh b/build_container.sh
index e9fe593d92..1fffde9c75 100755
--- a/build_container.sh
+++ b/build_container.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
     attr -s test -V test $testfile > /dev/null
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "ERROR: $EESSI_TMPDIR does not support extended attributes!" >&2
-       exit 2
+        #exit 2
     else
         rm $testfile
     fi
diff --git a/eessi-2021.12.yml b/eessi-2021.12.yml
index f3ed9dd9c4..6b1410d1fc 100644
--- a/eessi-2021.12.yml
+++ b/eessi-2021.12.yml
@@ -53,3 +53,7 @@ software:
          versions: 
            '3.9.1.1': 
              versionsuffix: -dmpar
+  CaDiCaL:
+    toolchains:
+      GCC-9.3.0:
+        versions: '1.3.0'
diff --git a/install_software_layer.sh b/install_software_layer.sh
index b045d75f90..e0b2f785d5 100755
--- a/install_software_layer.sh
+++ b/install_software_layer.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 export EESSI_PILOT_VERSION='2021.12'
-./run_in_compat_layer_env.sh ./EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh
+./run_in_compat_layer_env.sh ./EESSI-pilot-install-software.sh "$@"