diff --git a/src/libs/common/system_variables.cpp b/src/libs/common/system_variables.cpp
index 1a8efc54..00eac76b 100644
--- a/src/libs/common/system_variables.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/common/system_variables.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <cmath>
 #include <vector>
+#include <iostream>
 #include "system_variables.h"
 
 #ifdef OS_WIN
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
 
 #ifdef OS_LINUX
 #include "stdio.h"
+#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #endif
@@ -169,11 +171,15 @@ int start(string &cmd_string)
 	if (pid == 0)
 	{
 		setpgid(0, 0);
+//        int fd = open("stdout.dat", O_CREAT);
+//        dup2(fd, 1);
+//        std::cout << "file descrp " << fd << std::endl;
 		int success = execvp(arg_v[0], const_cast<char* const*>(&(arg_v[0])));
 		if (success == -1)
 		{
 			throw std::runtime_error("execv() failed for command: " + cmd_string);
 		}
+
 	}
 	else
 	{
diff --git a/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.cpp b/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.cpp
index 28f70737..848c9745 100644
--- a/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.cpp
@@ -4683,7 +4683,7 @@ pair<Parameters, Observations> save_real_par_rei(Pest& pest_scenario, ParameterE
 
 
 vector<int> run_ensemble_util(PerformanceLog* performance_log, ofstream& frec,ParameterEnsemble& _pe, ObservationEnsemble& _oe, 
-	RunManagerAbstract* run_mgr_ptr, bool check_pe_consistency, const vector<int>& real_idxs, int da_cycle)
+	RunManagerAbstract* run_mgr_ptr, bool check_pe_consistency, const vector<int>& real_idxs, int da_cycle, string additional_tag)
 {
 	stringstream ss;
 	ss << "queuing " << _pe.shape().first << " runs";
@@ -4692,7 +4692,7 @@ vector<int> run_ensemble_util(PerformanceLog* performance_log, ofstream& frec,Pa
 	map<int, int> real_run_ids;
 	try
 	{
-		real_run_ids = _pe.add_runs(run_mgr_ptr, real_idxs,da_cycle);
+		real_run_ids = _pe.add_runs(run_mgr_ptr, real_idxs,da_cycle,additional_tag);
 	}
 	catch (const exception& e)
 	{
@@ -5139,7 +5139,7 @@ vector<ObservationEnsemble> EnsembleMethod::run_lambda_ensembles(vector<Paramete
 	for (int i=0;i<pe_lams.size();i++)
 	{
 	    ss.str("");
-	    ss << " lambda:" << lam_vals[i] << " scale_fac:" << scale_vals[i];
+	    ss << " lambda:" << lam_vals[i] << " scale_fac:" << scale_vals[i] << " iteration:" << iter;
 	    additional_tag = ss.str();
 		try
 		{
@@ -5372,13 +5372,15 @@ vector<int> EnsembleMethod::run_ensemble(ParameterEnsemble& _pe,
 	ObservationEnsemble& _oe, const vector<int>& real_idxs, int cycle)
 {
 	stringstream ss;
+	ss.str("");
+	ss << " iteration:" << iter;
 	vector<int> failed_real_indices;
 	try
 	{
 		failed_real_indices = run_ensemble_util(performance_log, file_manager.rec_ofstream(), 
 			_pe, _oe, run_mgr_ptr, 
 			pest_scenario.get_pestpp_options().get_debug_check_par_en_consistency(), 
-			real_idxs, cycle);
+			real_idxs, cycle,ss.str());
 	}
 	catch (const exception& e)
 	{
@@ -7709,14 +7711,16 @@ bool EnsembleMethod::solve(bool use_mda, vector<double> inflation_factors, vecto
         oe_lam_best = oe; //copy
 
         message(0,"running mean-shifted prior realizations: ",new_pe.shape().first);
-        run_ensemble_util(performance_log,frec,new_pe,oe_lam_best,run_mgr_ptr);
+        ss.str("");
+        ss << "iteration:" << iter;
+        vector<int> temp;
+        run_ensemble_util(performance_log,frec,new_pe,oe_lam_best,run_mgr_ptr,false,temp,NetPackage::NULL_DA_CYCLE, ss.str());
         pe_lams[best_idx] = new_pe;
 
         //make sure we dont try to process the subset stuff below
         local_subset_size = pe.shape().first;
     }
 
-
     else if ((best_idx != -1) && (use_subset) && (local_subset_size < pe.shape().first))
 	{
 
diff --git a/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.h b/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.h
index 416dbb6b..60801900 100644
--- a/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.h
+++ b/src/libs/pestpp_common/EnsembleMethodUtils.h
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ pair<Parameters,Observations> save_real_par_rei(Pest& pest_scenario, ParameterEn
 
 vector<int> run_ensemble_util(PerformanceLog* performance_log, ofstream& frec, ParameterEnsemble& _pe,
 	ObservationEnsemble& _oe, RunManagerAbstract* run_mgr_ptr,
-	bool check_pe_consistency = false, const vector<int>& real_idxs = vector<int>(),int da_cycle=NetPackage::NULL_DA_CYCLE);
+	bool check_pe_consistency = false, const vector<int>& real_idxs = vector<int>(),int da_cycle=NetPackage::NULL_DA_CYCLE,
+	string additional_tag="");
 
 class EnsembleSolver
 {
diff --git a/src/libs/run_managers/abstract_base/model_interface.cpp b/src/libs/run_managers/abstract_base/model_interface.cpp
index e20c6212..e5bddb6b 100644
--- a/src/libs/run_managers/abstract_base/model_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/run_managers/abstract_base/model_interface.cpp
@@ -693,6 +693,8 @@ void ModelInterface::run(pest_utils::thread_flag* terminate, pest_utils::thread_
 			{
 				throw PestError("could not add process to job object: " + cmd_string);
 			}
+			DWORD pid = GetProcessId(pi);
+			cout << "...pid: " << pid << endl;
 			DWORD exitcode;
 			while (true)
 			{
@@ -746,6 +748,7 @@ void ModelInterface::run(pest_utils::thread_flag* terminate, pest_utils::thread_
             cout << pest_utils::get_time_string() << " calling forward run command: '" << cmd_string << "' " << endl;
 			//start the command
 			int command_pid = start(cmd_string);
+			cout << "...pid: " << command_pid << endl;
 			while (true)
 			{
                 std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(sleep_ms));