diff --git a/common-tools/clara-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/clara/HipoFrameWriter.java b/common-tools/clara-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/clara/HipoFrameWriter.java
index f07fe1eac..de91e0a42 100644
--- a/common-tools/clara-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/clara/HipoFrameWriter.java
+++ b/common-tools/clara-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/clara/HipoFrameWriter.java
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ private String getSchemaDirectory(JSONObject opts) {
             s = opts.getString(CONF_SCHEMA).trim();
             // If it's not already an absolute path, assume it's the name of a
             // stock schema that comes with COATJAVA and get the full path to it:
-            if (!s.startsWith("/")) s = ClaraYaml.getStockSchemaDirectory(opts.getString(s));
+            if (!s.startsWith("/")) s = ClaraYaml.getStockSchemaDirectory(s);
         }
         return s;
     }
diff --git a/etc/services/data-ai.yaml b/etc/services/data-ai.yaml
index 46daa569c..89df678cf 100644
--- a/etc/services/data-ai.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/data-ai.yaml
@@ -70,11 +70,9 @@ configuration:
 ## uncomment the following two lines for compatibility with alignments before the DC fixes
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
-#      for example:
-#      schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: data-ai
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/data-aicv.yaml b/etc/services/data-aicv.yaml
index 8516df30e..21e7be316 100644
--- a/etc/services/data-aicv.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/data-aicv.yaml
@@ -81,11 +81,10 @@ configuration:
 ## uncomment the following two lines for compatibility with alignments before the DC fixes
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
-#      for example:
-#      schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: data-aicv
+      #schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/data-cv.yaml b/etc/services/data-cv.yaml
index 00554281f..df9768827 100644
--- a/etc/services/data-cv.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/data-cv.yaml
@@ -69,11 +69,9 @@ configuration:
 ## uncomment the following two lines for compatibility with alignments before the DC fixes
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
-#      for example:
-#      schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: data-cv
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/dcalign.yaml b/etc/services/dcalign.yaml
index 692d3083a..3f2699a6a 100644
--- a/etc/services/dcalign.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/dcalign.yaml
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ configuration:
   global:
     variation: rgb_spring2019
 #      timestamp: 12/31/2020-00:00:00
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-distribution/etc/bankdefs/hipo4/singles/dcalign"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: dcalign
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/decode.yaml b/etc/services/decode.yaml
index 4d498322c..4a0966d2f 100644
--- a/etc/services/decode.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/decode.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,6 @@ configuration:
       variation: default
       timestamp: 05/11/2025-00:00:00
     writer:
-      schema_dir: /farm/home/baltzell/sw/coatjava/io-dev-2/coatjava/etc/bankdefs/hipo4/singles/dst
+      schema_dir: full
 mime-types:
   - binary/data-hipo
diff --git a/etc/services/denoise.yaml b/etc/services/denoise.yaml
index 0c98be66a..c06a7b902 100644
--- a/etc/services/denoise.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/denoise.yaml
@@ -83,11 +83,10 @@ configuration:
 ## uncomment the following two lines for compatibility with alignments before the DC fixes
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
-#      for example:
-#      schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: dst
+      #schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/eb.yaml b/etc/services/eb.yaml
index b50771e5c..047e66a29 100644
--- a/etc/services/eb.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/eb.yaml
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ services:
   - class: org.jlab.service.eb.EBTBEngine
     name: EBTB
 configuration:
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: dst
   services:
     EBTB:
       dropBanks: 'true'
diff --git a/etc/services/mc-ai.yaml b/etc/services/mc-ai.yaml
index 8412fc9a1..19aa5e8f5 100644
--- a/etc/services/mc-ai.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/mc-ai.yaml
@@ -69,11 +69,10 @@ configuration:
 #    timestamp: 12/31/2020-00:00:00
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
-#      for example:
-#      schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: mc-ai
+      #schema_dir: "/home/clas12-1/chef/myClara/plugins/clas12/etc/bankdefs/dst"
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/mc-aicv.yaml b/etc/services/mc-aicv.yaml
index d86b4549d..51112d338 100644
--- a/etc/services/mc-aicv.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/mc-aicv.yaml
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ configuration:
 #    variation: rga_fall2018_mc
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: mc-aicv
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat
diff --git a/etc/services/mc-cv.yaml b/etc/services/mc-cv.yaml
index d3294abc3..2643c1fc5 100644
--- a/etc/services/mc-cv.yaml
+++ b/etc/services/mc-cv.yaml
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ configuration:
 #    variation: rga_fall2018_mc
 #    dcMinistagger: "NOTONREFWIRE"
 #    dcFeedthroughs: "OFF"
-#  io-services:
-#    writer:
-#      schema_dir: "absolute-path-to-schema-folder"
+  io-services:
+    writer:
+      schema_dir: mc-cv
   services:
     MAGFIELDS:
       magfieldSolenoidMap: Symm_solenoid_r601_phi1_z1201_13June2018.dat