diff --git a/lib/ceedling/configurator.rb b/lib/ceedling/configurator.rb
index 2feb91ba..587d7670 100644
--- a/lib/ceedling/configurator.rb
+++ b/lib/ceedling/configurator.rb
@@ -108,8 +108,6 @@ def populate_cmock_defaults(config, default_config)
     # so they're present for the build environment to access;
     # Note: these need to end up in the hash given to initialize cmock for this to be successful
 
-    return if !config[:project][:use_mocks]
-
     msg = @reportinator.generate_progress( 'Collecting CMock defaults' )
     @loginator.log( msg, Verbosity::OBNOXIOUS )
 
@@ -197,7 +195,7 @@ def populate_cmock_config(config)
     msg = @reportinator.generate_progress( 'Processing CMock configuration' )
     @loginator.log( msg, Verbosity::OBNOXIOUS )
 
-    cmock[:plugins] = [] if (cmock[:plugins].nil?)
+    # Plugins housekeeping
     cmock[:plugins].map! { |plugin| plugin.to_sym() }
     cmock[:plugins].uniq!
 
@@ -241,10 +239,23 @@ def populate_test_runner_generation_config(config)
     # Merge Unity options used by test runner generation
     config[:test_runner][:defines] += config[:unity][:defines]
 
+    @loginator.log( "Test runner configuration: #{config[:test_runner]}", Verbosity::DEBUG )
+
     @runner_config = config[:test_runner]
   end
 
 
+  def populate_exceptions_config(config)
+    # Automagically set exception handling if CMock is configured for it
+    if config[:cmock][:plugins] && config[:cmock][:plugins].include?(:cexception)
+      msg = @reportinator.generate_progress( 'Enabling CException use based on CMock plugins settings' )
+      @loginator.log( msg, Verbosity::OBNOXIOUS )    
+
+      config[:project][:use_exceptions] = true
+    end
+  end
+
+
   def get_runner_config
     # Clone because test runner generation is not thread-safe;
     # The runner generator is manufactured for each use with configuration changes for each use.
diff --git a/lib/ceedling/configurator_builder.rb b/lib/ceedling/configurator_builder.rb
index af2ef49b..006dbcbc 100644
--- a/lib/ceedling/configurator_builder.rb
+++ b/lib/ceedling/configurator_builder.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def flattenify(config)
 
     config.each_key do | parent |
 
-      # gracefully handle empty top-level entries
+      # Gracefully handle empty top-level entries
       next if (config[parent].nil?)
 
       case config[parent]
@@ -69,12 +69,14 @@ def flattenify(config)
           key = "#{parent.to_s.downcase}_#{hash.keys[0].to_s.downcase}".to_sym
           new_hash[key] = hash[hash.keys[0]]
         end
+
       when Hash
         config[parent].each_pair do | child, value |
           key = "#{parent.to_s.downcase}_#{child.to_s.downcase}".to_sym
           new_hash[key] = value
         end
-      # handle entries with no children, only values
+
+      # Handle entries with no children, only values
       else
         new_hash["#{parent.to_s.downcase}".to_sym] = config[parent]
       end
@@ -103,26 +105,11 @@ def populate_defaults(config, defaults)
 
 
   def cleanup(in_hash)
-    # ensure that include files inserted into test runners have file extensions & proper ones at that
+    # Ensure that include files inserted into test runners have file extensions & proper ones at that
     in_hash[:test_runner_includes].map!{|include| include.ext(in_hash[:extension_header])}
   end
 
 
-  def set_exception_handling(in_hash)
-    # If project defines exception handling, do not change the setting.
-    # But, if the project omits exception handling setting...
-    if not in_hash[:project_use_exceptions]
-      # Automagically set it if cmock is configured for it
-      if in_hash[:cmock_plugins] && in_hash[:cmock_plugins].include?(:cexception)
-        in_hash[:project_use_exceptions] = true
-      # Otherwise, disable exceptions for the project
-      else
-        in_hash[:project_use_exceptions] = false
-      end  
-    end
-  end
-
-
   def set_build_paths(in_hash)
     out_hash = {}
 
@@ -161,7 +148,7 @@ def set_build_paths(in_hash)
 
     out_hash[:project_build_paths] = []
 
-    # fetch already set mock path
+    # Fetch already set mock path
     out_hash[:project_build_paths] << in_hash[:cmock_mock_path] if (in_hash[:project_use_mocks])
 
     paths.each do |path|
@@ -169,9 +156,9 @@ def set_build_paths(in_hash)
       build_path               = path[1]
       build_path_add_condition = path[2]
 
-      # insert path into build paths if associated with true condition
+      # Insert path into build paths if associated with true condition
       out_hash[:project_build_paths] << build_path if build_path_add_condition
-      # set path symbol name and path for each entry in paths array
+      # Set path symbol name and path for each entry in paths array
       out_hash[build_path_name] = build_path
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/ceedling/configurator_setup.rb b/lib/ceedling/configurator_setup.rb
index 7ed7ef9f..67a53874 100644
--- a/lib/ceedling/configurator_setup.rb
+++ b/lib/ceedling/configurator_setup.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # =========================================================================
 
 require 'ceedling/constants'
+require 'ceedling/exceptions'
 
 # Add sort-ability to symbol so we can order keys array in hash for test-ability
 class Symbol
@@ -30,11 +31,10 @@ def inspect
   end
 
   def build_project_config(ceedling_lib_path, flattened_config)
-    ### flesh out config
+    # Housekeeping
     @configurator_builder.cleanup( flattened_config )
-    @configurator_builder.set_exception_handling( flattened_config )
 
-    ### add to hash values we build up from configuration & file system contents
+    # Add to hash values we build up from configuration & file system contents
     flattened_config.merge!( @configurator_builder.set_build_paths( flattened_config ) )
     flattened_config.merge!( @configurator_builder.set_rakefile_components( ceedling_lib_path, flattened_config ) )
     flattened_config.merge!( @configurator_builder.set_release_target( flattened_config ) )
@@ -44,7 +44,17 @@ def build_project_config(ceedling_lib_path, flattened_config)
   end
 
   def build_directory_structure(flattened_config)
+    msg = "Build paths:"
     flattened_config[:project_build_paths].each do |path|
+      msg += "\n - #{(path.nil? or path.empty?) ? '<empty>' : path}"
+    end
+    @loginator.log( msg, Verbosity::DEBUG )
+
+    flattened_config[:project_build_paths].each do |path|
+      if path.nil? or path.empty?
+        raise CeedlingException.new( "Blank internal project build path subdirectory value" )
+      end
+
       @file_wrapper.mkdir( path )
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/ceedling/setupinator.rb b/lib/ceedling/setupinator.rb
index bdb0ad61..850f8f1b 100644
--- a/lib/ceedling/setupinator.rb
+++ b/lib/ceedling/setupinator.rb
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ def do_setup( app_cfg )
 
     # Plugin handling
     @configurator.discover_plugins( plugins_paths_hash, config_hash )
-    @configurator.populate_plugins_config( plugins_paths_hash, config_hash )
     @configurator.merge_config_plugins( config_hash )
+    @configurator.populate_plugins_config( plugins_paths_hash, config_hash )
 
     ##
     ## 4. Collect and apply defaults to user configuration
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ def do_setup( app_cfg )
     # Configure test runner generation
     @configurator.populate_test_runner_generation_config( config_hash )
 
+    # Automagically enable use of exceptions based on CMock settings
+    @configurator.populate_exceptions_config( config_hash )
+
     # Evaluate environment vars again before subsequent configurations that might reference with inline Ruby string expansion
     @configurator.eval_environment_variables( config_hash )