diff --git a/class2.php b/class2.php
index 454661f72..155ef5c98 100644
--- a/class2.php
+++ b/class2.php
@@ -930,11 +930,18 @@ if(!defined("THEME_LAYOUT"))
 	if(is_array($cusPagePref) && count($cusPagePref)>0)  // check if we match a page in layout custompages.
 	{
 	    //e_SELF.(e_QUERY ? '?'.e_QUERY : '');
-		$c_url = e_REQUEST_URL.(e_QUERY ? '?'.e_QUERY : '');// mod_rewrite support
+		$c_url = str_replace(array('&'), array('&'), e_REQUEST_URL);//.(e_QUERY ? '?'.e_QUERY : '');// mod_rewrite support
+		
     	foreach($cusPagePref as $lyout=>$cusPageArray)
 		{
 			if(!is_array($cusPageArray)) { continue; }
-
+			
+			// NEW - Front page template check - early
+			if(in_array('FRONTPAGE', $cusPageArray) && ($c_url == SITEURL || rtrim($c_url, '/') == SITEURL.'index.php'))
+			{
+				$def = $lyout;
+				break;
+			}
    			foreach($cusPageArray as $kpage)
 			{
 				if(substr($kpage, -1) === '!' )
diff --git a/e107_core/controllers/index/index.php b/e107_core/controllers/index/index.php
index b51209843..80725c33c 100644
--- a/e107_core/controllers/index/index.php
+++ b/e107_core/controllers/index/index.php
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ class core_index_index_controller extends eController
 		// Former Welcome Message front-page. Should be handled by current theme layout
 		elseif($location == 'index.php' || $location == 'url:/' || $location == 'route:/' || $location == '/') 
 		{
+			define('e_FRONTPAGE', true);
 			$this->_forward('front'); 
 			return;
 		}
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ class core_index_index_controller extends eController
 				{
 					throw new eException('Infinite loop detected while dispatching front page.', 2);
 				}
+				define('e_FRONTPAGE', true);
 				$this->_forward($request->getRoute());
 				return;
 			}
@@ -132,7 +134,7 @@ class core_index_index_controller extends eController
 			{
 				throw new eException('Infinite loop detected while dispatching front page.', 2);
 			}
-			
+			define('e_FRONTPAGE', true);
 			$this->_forward($request->getRoute(), $qstr);
 			
 			return;
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@ class core_index_index_controller extends eController
 				->setLegacyQstring($qstr);
 				
 			$request->routed = true;
-			
+			define('e_FRONTPAGE', true);
 			eFront::isLegacy('{e_BASE}'.$page);
 			return $this;
 		}
diff --git a/e107_core/shortcodes/single/wmessage.php b/e107_core/shortcodes/single/wmessage.php
index 61d6e6e0d..06074a19c 100644
--- a/e107_core/shortcodes/single/wmessage.php
+++ b/e107_core/shortcodes/single/wmessage.php
@@ -4,37 +4,41 @@
 
 function wmessage_shortcode($parm)
 {
-
-	global $e107, $e107cache, $pref;
+	$e107 = e107::getInstance();
+	$e107cache = e107::getCache();
+	$pref = e107::getPref();
+	
 	$prefwmsc = varset($pref['wmessage_sc'], FALSE);
 	if (($prefwmsc && $parm == 'header') || (!$prefwmsc && ($parm !='header')) )
 	{	// Two places it might be invoked - allow one or the other
 		return;
 	}
 
+	
 	if ($parm != 'force')
-	{
-		$full_url = 'news.php';					// Set a default in case
-		$front_qry = '';
-		$uc_array = explode(',', USERCLASS_LIST);
-		if(varset($pref['frontpage']))
 		{
-			foreach ($pref['frontpage'] as $fk => $fp)
+			$full_url = 'news.php';					// Set a default in case
+			$front_qry = '';
+			$uc_array = explode(',', USERCLASS_LIST);
+			if(varset($pref['frontpage']))
 			{
-				if (in_array($fk,$uc_array))
+				foreach ($pref['frontpage'] as $fk => $fp)
 				{
-					$full_url = $fp;
-					break;
+					if (in_array($fk,$uc_array))
+					{
+						$full_url = $fp;
+						break;
+					}
 				}
+				list($front_url, $front_qry) = explode('?', $full_url.'?'); // extra '?' ensure the array is filled
 			}
-			list($front_url, $front_qry) = explode('?', $full_url.'?'); // extra '?' ensure the array is filled
 		}
-	}
+	
 
 	if (strpos($front_url, 'http') === FALSE) $front_url = SITEURL.$front_url;
 
 
-	if (($parm == 'force') || ((e_SELF == $front_url) && (($parm == 'ignore_query') || (e_QUERY == $front_qry))))
+	if (deftrue('e_FRONTPAGE') || ($parm == 'force') || ((e_SELF == $front_url) && (($parm == 'ignore_query') || (e_QUERY == $front_qry))))
 	{
 		// Actually want to display a welcome message here
 		global $ns;
diff --git a/e107_core/xml/default_install.xml b/e107_core/xml/default_install.xml
index 711d04995..690bd4cc4 100644
--- a/e107_core/xml/default_install.xml
+++ b/e107_core/xml/default_install.xml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
 		<core name="displayname_maxlength">15</core>
 		<core name="displayrendertime">0</core>
 		<core name="displaysql">0</core>
-		<core name="displaythemeinfo">0</core>
+		<core name="displaythemeinfo">1</core>
 		<core name="download_email">0</core>
 		<core name="e_jslib_browser_cache">0</core>
 		<core name="e_jslib_core"><![CDATA[array (
diff --git a/index.php b/index.php
index 7cbe53a60..e408a7453 100644
--- a/index.php
+++ b/index.php
@@ -2,16 +2,14 @@
 /*
  * e107 website system
  *
- * Copyright (C) 2008-2009 e107 Inc (e107.org)
+ * Copyright (C) 2008-2011 e107 Inc (e107.org)
  * Released under the terms and conditions of the
  * GNU General Public License (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.txt)
  *
  * News frontend
  *
- * $Source: /cvs_backup/e107_0.8/index.php,v $
- * $Revision$
- * $Date$
- * $Author$
+ * $URL$
+ * $Id$
  */
 
  // BOOTSTRAP START