diff --git a/checkin_notes b/checkin_notes
index e76a6b4cca..bd784aae1a 100644
--- a/checkin_notes
+++ b/checkin_notes
@@ -6438,3 +6438,9 @@ David  28 Oct 2012
     client/
         app_control.cpp
         http_curl.cpp
+
+David  28 Oct 2012
+    - update_versions: get key directory from config file
+
+    tools/
+        update_versions
diff --git a/tools/update_versions b/tools/update_versions
index 205937a3a7..b423650985 100755
--- a/tools/update_versions
+++ b/tools/update_versions
@@ -31,9 +31,15 @@ $apps = BoincApp::enum("");
 $platforms = BoincPlatform::enum("");
 
 $config = file_get_contents("config.xml");
+if (!$config) die("config.xml not found.  Run this in project root dir.\n");
 $download_url = parse_element($config, "<download_url>");
+if (!$download_url) die("<download_url> not found in config.xml\n");
 $download_dir = parse_element($config, "<download_dir>");
+if (!$download_dir) die("<download_dir> not found in config.xml\n");
 $fanout = parse_element($config, "<uldl_dir_fanout>");
+if (!$fanout) die("<fanout> not found in config.xml\n");
+$key_dir = parse_element($config, "<key_dir>");
+if (!$key_dir) die("<key_dir> not found in config.xml\n");
 
 function lookup_app($name) {
     global $apps;
@@ -217,6 +223,7 @@ function confirm_sig_gen($name) {
 // process a file
 //
 function process_file($a, $v, $p, $name, $fds) {
+    global $key_dir;
     $fd = lookup_file($fds, $name);
     if (!$fd) {
         $fd = null;
@@ -236,7 +243,7 @@ function process_file($a, $v, $p, $name, $fds) {
     if (is_file($sigpath)) {
         $fd->signature = file_get_contents($sigpath);
     } else {
-        $keypath = "keys/code_sign_private";
+        $keypath = "$key_dir/code_sign_private";
         if (is_file($keypath)) {
             confirm_sig_gen($name);
             $handle = popen("bin/sign_executable $path $keypath", "r");