diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index fa12b6b..6a0adb0 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -40,7 +40,12 @@ build_n64 () {
     if [ "$FORCE_CLEAN" = true ]; then
         make clean
     fi
-    make all -j USER_FLAGS="$USER_FLAGS -DGIT_BRANCH='$GIT_BRANCH' -DGIT_TAG='$GIT_TAG' -DGIT_SHA='$GIT_SHA' -DGIT_MESSAGE='$GIT_MESSAGE'"
+    N64_FLAGS="$USER_FLAGS"
+    if [ ! -z "${GIT_BRANCH+x}" ]; then N64_FLAGS+=" -DGIT_BRANCH='\"$GIT_BRANCH\"'"; fi
+    if [ ! -z "${GIT_TAG+x}" ]; then N64_FLAGS+=" -DGIT_TAG='\"$GIT_TAG\"'"; fi
+    if [ ! -z "${GIT_SHA+x}" ]; then N64_FLAGS+=" -DGIT_SHA='\"$GIT_SHA\"'"; fi
+    if [ ! -z "${GIT_MESSAGE+x}" ]; then N64_FLAGS+=" -DGIT_MESSAGE='\"$GIT_MESSAGE\"'"; fi
+    make all -j USER_FLAGS="$N64_FLAGS"
     popd > /dev/null
 
     BUILT_N64=true
diff --git a/sw/n64/src/exception.c b/sw/n64/src/exception.c
index ef07192..72c9db7 100644
--- a/sw/n64/src/exception.c
+++ b/sw/n64/src/exception.c
@@ -145,9 +145,23 @@ static void exception_init_screen (void) {
     io_write(&VI->CR, cfg->CR);
 }
 
-static void exception_draw_character (int x, int y, char c) {
+static void exception_draw_character (char c) {
+    static int x = BORDER_WIDTH + (START_X_OFFSET * FONT_WIDTH);
+    static int y = BORDER_HEIGHT;
+
+    if (c == '\n') {
+        x = BORDER_WIDTH;
+        y += LINE_HEIGHT;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if ((x + FONT_WIDTH) > (SCREEN_WIDTH - BORDER_WIDTH)) {
+        x = BORDER_WIDTH;
+        y += LINE_HEIGHT;
+    }
+
     if ((c < ' ') || (c > '~')) {
-        c = 127;
+        c = '\x7F';
     }
 
     for (int i = 0; i < (FONT_WIDTH * FONT_HEIGHT); i++) {
@@ -163,25 +177,13 @@ static void exception_draw_character (int x, int y, char c) {
             io_write(&exception_framebuffer[screen_offset], FOREGROUND_COLOR);
         }
     }
+
+    x += FONT_WIDTH;
 }
 
 static void exception_print_string (const char *s) {
-    static int x = BORDER_WIDTH + (START_X_OFFSET * FONT_WIDTH);
-    static int y = BORDER_HEIGHT;
-
     while (*s != '\0') {
-        if (*s == '\n') {
-            x = BORDER_WIDTH;
-            y += LINE_HEIGHT;
-            s++;
-        } else {
-            if (x + FONT_WIDTH > (SCREEN_WIDTH - BORDER_WIDTH)) {
-                x = BORDER_WIDTH;
-                y += LINE_HEIGHT;
-            }
-            exception_draw_character(x, y, *s++);
-            x += FONT_WIDTH;
-        }
+        exception_draw_character(*s++);
     }
 }
 
@@ -233,7 +235,8 @@ void exception_fatal_handler (uint32_t exception_code, uint32_t interrupt_mask,
     exception_init_screen();
 
     exception_print("-----  SummerCart64 n64boot  -----\n");
-    exception_print("branch: %s | tag: %s\n", version->git_branch, version->git_tag);
+    exception_print("branch: %s\n", version->git_branch);
+    exception_print("tag: %s\n", version->git_tag);
     exception_print("sha: %s\n", version->git_sha);
     exception_print("msg: %s\n\n", version->git_message);
     exception_print("%s at pc: 0x%08lX\n", exception_get_description(exception_code), e->epc.u32);
diff --git a/sw/n64/src/version.c b/sw/n64/src/version.c
index a535680..1f1b0ef 100644
--- a/sw/n64/src/version.c
+++ b/sw/n64/src/version.c
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 #include "version.h"
 
 
-#define STR(x...)   #x
-#define XSTR(s)     STR(s)
-
-
 version_t version = {
-    .git_branch = XSTR(GIT_BRANCH),
-    .git_tag = XSTR(GIT_TAG),
-    .git_sha = XSTR(GIT_SHA),
-    .git_message = XSTR(GIT_MESSAGE),
+#ifdef GIT_BRANCH
+    .git_branch = GIT_BRANCH,
+#else
+#warning "No GIT_BRANCH provided"
+#endif
+#ifdef GIT_TAG
+    .git_tag = GIT_TAG,
+#else
+#warning "No GIT_TAG provided"
+#endif
+#ifdef GIT_SHA
+    .git_sha = GIT_SHA,
+#else
+#warning "No GIT_SHA provided"
+#endif
+#ifdef GIT_MESSAGE
+    .git_message = GIT_MESSAGE,
+#else
+#warning "No GIT_MESSAGE provided"
+#endif
 };