diff --git a/bin/foamExec b/bin/foamExec
index 26ad311349..711e3f7a8e 100755
--- a/bin/foamExec
+++ b/bin/foamExec
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 #
 #     Can also be used for parallel runs e.g.
 #     mpirun -np <nProcs> \
-#         foamExec -v <foamVersion> <foamCommand> ... -parallel
+#         foamExec -version <foamVersion> <foamCommand> ... -parallel
 #
 # SeeAlso
 #    foamEtcFile
@@ -46,9 +46,11 @@ usage() {
 Usage: ${0##*/} [OPTION] <application> ...
 
 options:
+  -prefix <dir>     specify an alternative installation prefix
+                    pass through to foamEtcFile and set as FOAM_INST_DIR
   -version <ver>    specify an alternative OpenFOAM version
                     pass through to foamEtcFile
-  -help             this usage
+  -help             print the usage
 
 * run a particular OpenFOAM version of <application>
 
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ USAGE
 # foamEtcFile must be found in the same directory as this script
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-unset etcOpts version
+unset etcOpts prefix version
 # parse options
 while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]
 do
@@ -71,14 +73,20 @@ do
     -h | -help)
         usage
         ;;
-    -v | -version)
+    -m | -mode)
         [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
-        version="$2"
         etcOpts="$etcOpts $1 $2"    # pass-thru to foamEtcFile
         shift
         ;;
-    -m | -mode | -p | -prefix)
+    -p | -prefix)
         [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+        prefix="$2"
+        etcOpts="$etcOpts $1 $2"    # pass-thru to foamEtcFile
+        shift
+        ;;
+    -v | -version)
+        [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+        version="$2"
         etcOpts="$etcOpts $1 $2"    # pass-thru to foamEtcFile
         shift
         ;;
@@ -111,6 +119,9 @@ sourceRc()
         exit 1
     }
 
+    # extra safety when sourcing the bashrc
+    [ -n "$prefix" ] && export FOAM_INST_DIR="$prefix"
+
     . $foamDotFile
 }
 
diff --git a/bin/foamJob b/bin/foamJob
index 06d56b9f06..70e2c39f28 100755
--- a/bin/foamJob
+++ b/bin/foamJob
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 #     foamJob
 #
 # Description
+#     Run an OpenFOAM job in background.
+#     Redirects the output to 'log' in the case directory.
 #
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 usage() {
@@ -36,9 +38,9 @@ usage() {
 Usage: ${0##*/} [OPTION] <application> ...
 options:
   -case <dir>       specify alternative case directory, default is the cwd
-  -p                parallel run of processors
-  -s                also sends output to screen
-  -v <ver>          specify OpenFOAM version
+  -parallel         parallel run of processors
+  -screen           also sends output to screen
+  -version <ver>    specify an alternative OpenFOAM version
   -help             print the usage
 
 * run an OpenFOAM job in background.
@@ -95,23 +97,22 @@ do
       usage
       ;;
    -case)
-      [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'-case' option requires an argument"
-      caseDir=$2
+      [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+      cd "$2" 2>/dev/null || usage "directory does not exist:  '$2'"
       shift 2
-      cd "$caseDir" 2>/dev/null || usage "directory does not exist:  '$caseDir'"
       ;;
-   -p)
+   -p | -parallel)
       parallelOpt=true
       shift
       ;;
-   -s)
+   -s | -screen)
       screenOpt=true
       shift
       ;;
-   -v)
-      shift
-      version=$1
-      shift
+   -v | -version)
+      [ "$#" -ge 2 ] || usage "'$1' option requires an argument"
+      version="$2"
+      shift 2
       ;;
    --)
       shift
@@ -126,29 +127,32 @@ do
    esac
 done
 
-if [ "$#" -lt 1 ]
-then
-    usage "No application specified"
-fi
+[ "$#" -ge 1 ] || usage "No application specified"
 
-# use foamExec for a specified version and for remote (parallel) runs
+
+# use foamExec for a specified version
+# also need foamExec for remote (parallel) runs
 if [ -n "$version" -o "$parallelOpt" = true ]
 then
-    APPLICATION=`findExec foamExec`
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]
+    # when possible, determine if application even exists
+    if [ -z "$version" ]
     then
-        usage "'foamExec' not found"
+        findExec $1 >/dev/null || usage "Application '$1' not found"
     fi
-    if [ -n "$version" ]
+
+    # use foamExec for dispatching
+    APPLICATION=`findExec foamExec` || usage "'foamExec' not found"
+
+    [ -n "$version" ] && APPLICATION="$APPLICATION -version $version"
+
+    # attempt to preserve the installation directory 'FOAM_INST_DIR'
+    if [ -d "$FOAM_INST_DIR" ]
     then
-        APPLICATION="$APPLICATION -v $version"
+        APPLICATION="$APPLICATION -prefix $FOAM_INST_DIR"
     fi
+
 else
-    APPLICATION=`findExec $1`
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-    then
-        usage "Application '$1' executable not found"
-    fi
+    APPLICATION=`findExec $1` || usage "Application '$1' not found"
     echo "Application : $1"
     shift
 fi
@@ -182,11 +186,7 @@ then
     #
     # locate mpirun
     #
-    mpirun=`findExec mpirun`
-    if [ $? -ne 0 ]
-    then
-        usage "'mpirun' not found"
-    fi
+    mpirun=`findExec mpirun` || usage "'mpirun' not found"
     mpiopts="-np $NPROCS"
 
     #
@@ -217,10 +217,10 @@ then
     #
     if [ "$screenOpt" = true ]
     then
-        echo "Executing: mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel | tee log"
-        $mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel  | tee log
+        echo "Executing: $mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel | tee log"
+        $mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel | tee log
     else
-        echo "Executing: mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel > log 2>&1"
+        echo "Executing: $mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel > log 2>&1"
         $mpirun $mpiopts $APPLICATION $@ -parallel > log 2>&1 &
     fi
 
@@ -237,8 +237,6 @@ else
         echo "Executing: $APPLICATION $@ > log 2>&1 &"
         $APPLICATION $@ > log 2>&1 &
     fi
-else
-
 fi
 
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------