diff --git a/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/configurations.xml b/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/configurations.xml
index 30bd985..3398c76 100644
--- a/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/configurations.xml
+++ b/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/configurations.xml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
   </sourceRootList>
   <projectmakefile>Makefile</projectmakefile>
   <confs>
-    <conf name="default" type="2">
+    <conf name="bootloader_only" type="2">
       <toolsSet>
         <developmentServer>localhost</developmentServer>
         <targetDevice>PIC18F2550</targetDevice>
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
         <property key="asmlist" value="true"/>
         <property key="default-bitfield-type" value="true"/>
         <property key="default-char-type" value="true"/>
-        <property key="define-macros" value=""/>
+        <property key="define-macros" value="LINK_FOR_BOOTLOADER"/>
         <property key="disable-optimizations" value="true"/>
         <property key="extra-include-directories" value="..\framework\usb\inc;..\src"/>
         <property key="favor-optimization-for" value="-speed,+space"/>
@@ -228,5 +228,178 @@
         <property key="user-pack-device-support" value=""/>
       </XC8-config-global>
     </conf>
+    <conf name="standalone" type="2">
+      <toolsSet>
+        <developmentServer>localhost</developmentServer>
+        <targetDevice>PIC18F2550</targetDevice>
+        <targetHeader></targetHeader>
+        <targetPluginBoard></targetPluginBoard>
+        <platformTool>PICkit3PlatformTool</platformTool>
+        <languageToolchain>XC8</languageToolchain>
+        <languageToolchainVersion>2.05</languageToolchainVersion>
+        <platform>3</platform>
+      </toolsSet>
+      <packs>
+        <pack name="PIC18Fxxxx_DFP" vendor="Microchip" version="1.0.9"/>
+      </packs>
+      <compileType>
+        <linkerTool>
+          <linkerLibItems>
+          </linkerLibItems>
+        </linkerTool>
+        <archiverTool>
+        </archiverTool>
+        <loading>
+          <useAlternateLoadableFile>false</useAlternateLoadableFile>
+          <parseOnProdLoad>false</parseOnProdLoad>
+          <alternateLoadableFile></alternateLoadableFile>
+        </loading>
+        <subordinates>
+        </subordinates>
+      </compileType>
+      <makeCustomizationType>
+        <makeCustomizationPreStepEnabled>false</makeCustomizationPreStepEnabled>
+        <makeCustomizationPreStep></makeCustomizationPreStep>
+        <makeCustomizationPostStepEnabled>false</makeCustomizationPostStepEnabled>
+        <makeCustomizationPostStep></makeCustomizationPostStep>
+        <makeCustomizationPutChecksumInUserID>false</makeCustomizationPutChecksumInUserID>
+        <makeCustomizationEnableLongLines>false</makeCustomizationEnableLongLines>
+        <makeCustomizationNormalizeHexFile>false</makeCustomizationNormalizeHexFile>
+      </makeCustomizationType>
+      <HI-TECH-COMP>
+        <property key="additional-warnings" value="true"/>
+        <property key="asmlist" value="true"/>
+        <property key="default-bitfield-type" value="true"/>
+        <property key="default-char-type" value="true"/>
+        <property key="define-macros" value=""/>
+        <property key="disable-optimizations" value="true"/>
+        <property key="extra-include-directories" value="..\framework\usb\inc;..\src"/>
+        <property key="favor-optimization-for" value="-speed,+space"/>
+        <property key="garbage-collect-data" value="true"/>
+        <property key="garbage-collect-functions" value="true"/>
+        <property key="identifier-length" value="255"/>
+        <property key="local-generation" value="false"/>
+        <property key="operation-mode" value="free"/>
+        <property key="opt-xc8-compiler-strict_ansi" value="false"/>
+        <property key="optimization-assembler" value="true"/>
+        <property key="optimization-assembler-files" value="true"/>
+        <property key="optimization-debug" value="false"/>
+        <property key="optimization-invariant-enable" value="false"/>
+        <property key="optimization-invariant-value" value="16"/>
+        <property key="optimization-level" value="-O0"/>
+        <property key="optimization-speed" value="false"/>
+        <property key="optimization-stable-enable" value="false"/>
+        <property key="pack-struct" value="true"/>
+        <property key="preprocess-assembler" value="true"/>
+        <property key="short-enums" value="true"/>
+        <property key="undefine-macros" value="LINK_FOR_BOOTLOADER"/>
+        <property key="use-cci" value="false"/>
+        <property key="use-iar" value="false"/>
+        <property key="verbose" value="false"/>
+        <property key="warning-level" value="-3"/>
+        <property key="what-to-do" value="ignore"/>
+      </HI-TECH-COMP>
+      <HI-TECH-LINK>
+        <property key="additional-options-checksum" value=""/>
+        <property key="additional-options-code-offset" value=""/>
+        <property key="additional-options-command-line" value=""/>
+        <property key="additional-options-errata" value=""/>
+        <property key="additional-options-extend-address" value="false"/>
+        <property key="additional-options-trace-type" value=""/>
+        <property key="additional-options-use-response-files" value="false"/>
+        <property key="backup-reset-condition-flags" value="false"/>
+        <property key="calibrate-oscillator" value="false"/>
+        <property key="calibrate-oscillator-value" value="0x3400"/>
+        <property key="clear-bss" value="true"/>
+        <property key="code-model-external" value="wordwrite"/>
+        <property key="code-model-rom" value=""/>
+        <property key="create-html-files" value="false"/>
+        <property key="data-model-ram" value=""/>
+        <property key="data-model-size-of-double" value="32"/>
+        <property key="data-model-size-of-double-gcc" value="no-short-double"/>
+        <property key="data-model-size-of-float" value="32"/>
+        <property key="data-model-size-of-float-gcc" value="no-short-float"/>
+        <property key="display-class-usage" value="false"/>
+        <property key="display-hex-usage" value="false"/>
+        <property key="display-overall-usage" value="true"/>
+        <property key="display-psect-usage" value="false"/>
+        <property key="extra-lib-directories" value=""/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-addr" value=""/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-const" value=""/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-how" value="0"/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-inc-const" value="1"/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-increment" value=""/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-seq" value=""/>
+        <property key="fill-flash-options-what" value="0"/>
+        <property key="format-hex-file-for-download" value="false"/>
+        <property key="initialize-data" value="true"/>
+        <property key="input-libraries" value="libm"/>
+        <property key="keep-generated-startup.as" value="false"/>
+        <property key="link-in-c-library" value="true"/>
+        <property key="link-in-c-library-gcc" value=""/>
+        <property key="link-in-peripheral-library" value="false"/>
+        <property key="managed-stack" value="false"/>
+        <property key="opt-xc8-linker-file" value="false"/>
+        <property key="opt-xc8-linker-link_startup" value="false"/>
+        <property key="opt-xc8-linker-serial" value=""/>
+        <property key="program-the-device-with-default-config-words" value="true"/>
+        <property key="remove-unused-sections" value="true"/>
+      </HI-TECH-LINK>
+      <PICkit3PlatformTool>
+        <property key="AutoSelectMemRanges" value="auto"/>
+        <property key="Freeze Peripherals" value="true"/>
+        <property key="SecureSegment.SegmentProgramming" value="FullChipProgramming"/>
+        <property key="ToolFirmwareFilePath"
+                  value="Press to browse for a specific firmware version"/>
+        <property key="ToolFirmwareOption.UseLatestFirmware" value="true"/>
+        <property key="debugoptions.useswbreakpoints" value="false"/>
+        <property key="hwtoolclock.frcindebug" value="false"/>
+        <property key="memories.aux" value="false"/>
+        <property key="memories.bootflash" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.configurationmemory" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.configurationmemory2" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.dataflash" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.eeprom" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.flashdata" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.id" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.instruction.ram" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.instruction.ram.ranges"
+                  value="${memories.instruction.ram.ranges}"/>
+        <property key="memories.programmemory" value="true"/>
+        <property key="memories.programmemory.ranges" value="0-7fff"/>
+        <property key="poweroptions.powerenable" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programmertogo.imagename" value=""/>
+        <property key="programoptions.donoteraseauxmem" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.eraseb4program" value="true"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.pgmspeed" value="2"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preservedataflash" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preservedataflash.ranges"
+                  value="${programoptions.preservedataflash.ranges}"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preserveeeprom" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preserveeeprom.ranges" value="0-ff"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preserveprogram.ranges" value=""/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preserveprogramrange" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.preserveuserid" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.programcalmem" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.programuserotp" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.testmodeentrymethod" value="VDDFirst"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.usehighvoltageonmclr" value="false"/>
+        <property key="programoptions.uselvpprogramming" value="false"/>
+        <property key="voltagevalue" value="4.75"/>
+      </PICkit3PlatformTool>
+      <XC8-config-global>
+        <property key="advanced-elf" value="true"/>
+        <property key="gcc-opt-driver-new" value="true"/>
+        <property key="gcc-opt-std" value="-std=c99"/>
+        <property key="gcc-output-file-format" value="dwarf-3"/>
+        <property key="omit-pack-options" value="false"/>
+        <property key="output-file-format" value="-mcof,+elf"/>
+        <property key="stack-size-high" value="auto"/>
+        <property key="stack-size-low" value="auto"/>
+        <property key="stack-size-main" value="auto"/>
+        <property key="stack-type" value="compiled"/>
+        <property key="user-pack-device-support" value=""/>
+      </XC8-config-global>
+    </conf>
   </confs>
 </configurationDescriptor>
diff --git a/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/project.xml b/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/project.xml
index ea3aed9..cb8dddd 100644
--- a/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/project.xml
+++ b/firmware/clubdance_v2.X/nbproject/project.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@
             </sourceRootList>
             <confList>
                 <confElem>
-                    <name>default</name>
+                    <name>bootloader_only</name>
+                    <type>2</type>
+                </confElem>
+                <confElem>
+                    <name>standalone</name>
                     <type>2</type>
                 </confElem>
             </confList>
diff --git a/firmware/src/main.c b/firmware/src/main.c
index 8c25cb1..7fb17d4 100644
--- a/firmware/src/main.c
+++ b/firmware/src/main.c
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@
 #include "padhal.h"
 #include "dancepad.h"
 
+#ifdef LINK_FOR_BOOTLOADER
+// only define this if building fw to be used with the bootloader
 const unsigned int VersionWord __at(0x1416) = 0x0100;
+#endif
 
 void main(void)
 {