diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/hipadaba_configuration_common.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/hipadaba_configuration_common.tcl
index 26a23cc7..602643bd 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/hipadaba_configuration_common.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/hipadaba/hipadaba_configuration_common.tcl
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ InstallHdb
 namespace eval ::hdb {
 namespace export buildHDB attlist
 
+set sobjadd_state(depends) false
+
 set NXlog_template {
   NXlog {
     $name {
@@ -462,6 +464,8 @@ proc ::hdb::add_feedback {hpath sobj name} {
 #\tor "node nnn kind kkk long_name junk prop_list {propA aaa propB bbb ...}"
 proc ::hdb::add_node {basePath args} {
   global nodeindex
+  variable sobjadd_state
+
   array unset arg_array
   if [ catch {
     array set arg_array $args 
@@ -492,7 +496,7 @@ proc ::hdb::add_node {basePath args} {
     }
     if {[lsearch [hlist $basePath] $node_name] == -1} {
     #TODO allow hdb nodes of type drivable countable environment
-      array set attribute [attlist $node_name]
+      array set attribute [::utility::normalattlist $node_name]
       switch $arg_array(kind) {
         command {
           # A command is a macro, node=macro name 
@@ -527,7 +531,7 @@ proc ::hdb::add_node {basePath args} {
           hsetprop $node_path klass   [getatt $node_name klass]
           if [info exists attribute(hdbchain)] {
             foreach pmot [split $attribute(hdbchain) ,] {
-              hchain $node_path [getatt $pmot hdb_path]
+              hchain $node_path [lindex [split [getatt $pmot hdb_path] ,] 0]
             }
           }
           foreach child [hlist $node_path] {
@@ -567,10 +571,16 @@ proc ::hdb::add_node {basePath args} {
       }
       if {[info exists attribute(depends)]} { 
         foreach dep [split [normalgetatt $node_name depends] , ] {
+          set sobjadd_state(depends) true
           ::hdb::sobjadd $node_path $dep 
+          set sobjadd_state(depends) false
         }
       }
-      sicslist setatt $node_name hdb_path $node_path
+      if { $sobjadd_state(depends) == false && [info exists attribute(hdb_path)] } {
+        sicslist setatt $node_name hdb_path $attribute(hdb_path),$node_path
+      } else {
+        sicslist setatt $node_name hdb_path $node_path
+      }
       return $node_path
     }
   } message ] {