diff --git a/dali/base/dautils.cpp b/dali/base/dautils.cpp
index fe3eb7fcb0a..38dad59731d 100644
--- a/dali/base/dautils.cpp
+++ b/dali/base/dautils.cpp
@@ -1489,7 +1489,16 @@ bool CDfsLogicalFileName::getExternalPath(StringBuffer &dir, StringBuffer &tail,
                         *e = makeStringExceptionV(-1, "plane:: does not support planes with more than one device '%s'", planeName.str());
                     return false;
                 }
-                dir.append(plane->queryPrefix());
+                const char * prefix = plane->queryPrefix();
+                //If the prefix is a PathSepChar, it should not be appended to the dir here because
+                //a PathSepChar will be appended to the dir inside the expandExternalPath() if the s
+                //is started with the "::".
+                //Also a trailing pathsepchar in the prefix should be removed.
+                if (!isRootDirectory(prefix))
+                {
+                    dir.append(prefix);
+                    removeTrailingPathSepChar(dir);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/dockerfiles/platform-build/Dockerfile b/dockerfiles/platform-build/Dockerfile
index 826d9e80488..d5072178dfc 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/platform-build/Dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/platform-build/Dockerfile
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ RUN groupadd -g 10001 hpcc
 RUN useradd -s /bin/bash -r -m -N -c "hpcc runtime User" -u 10000 -g hpcc hpcc
 RUN passwd -l hpcc 
 
-RUN curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.18.18/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl && chmod +x ./kubectl && mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin
+RUN curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.27.6/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl && chmod +x ./kubectl && mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin
 
 WORKDIR /hpcc-dev
 RUN mkdir build
diff --git a/dockerfiles/vcpkg/platform-core-ubuntu-22.04.dockerfile b/dockerfiles/vcpkg/platform-core-ubuntu-22.04.dockerfile
index 74eea1a1bdf..ff20fac4848 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/vcpkg/platform-core-ubuntu-22.04.dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfiles/vcpkg/platform-core-ubuntu-22.04.dockerfile
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ RUN apt-get install -y \
     gdb \
     nano 
 
-RUN curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.18.18/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl && \
+RUN curl -LO https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/v1.27.6/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl && \
     chmod +x ./kubectl && \
     mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin
 
diff --git a/esp/services/ws_fileio/ws_fileioservice.cpp b/esp/services/ws_fileio/ws_fileioservice.cpp
index f99b4df3f67..304adaa908d 100644
--- a/esp/services/ws_fileio/ws_fileioservice.cpp
+++ b/esp/services/ws_fileio/ws_fileioservice.cpp
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ bool CWsFileIOEx::onReadFileData(IEspContext &context, IEspReadFileDataRequest &
         return true;
     }
 
+    //Despite the "DestRelativePath" saying it's relative for legacy reason, it also supports absolute paths.
     const char* destRelativePath = req.getDestRelativePath();
     if (!destRelativePath || (destRelativePath[0] == 0))
     {
diff --git a/esp/smc/SMCLib/TpCommon.cpp b/esp/smc/SMCLib/TpCommon.cpp
index dfe5abad996..1d1fc12ba09 100644
--- a/esp/smc/SMCLib/TpCommon.cpp
+++ b/esp/smc/SMCLib/TpCommon.cpp
@@ -184,9 +184,6 @@ extern TPWRAPPER_API IPropertyTree* getDropZoneAndValidateHostAndPath(const char
 
 static SecAccessFlags getDropZoneScopePermissions(IEspContext& context, const IPropertyTree* dropZone, const char* dropZonePath)
 {
-    if (isEmptyString(dropZonePath))
-        throw makeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "getDropZoneScopePermissions(): DropZone path must be specified.");
-
     //If the dropZonePath is an absolute path, change it to a relative path.
     if (isAbsolutePath(dropZonePath))
     {
@@ -203,9 +200,6 @@ static SecAccessFlags getDropZoneScopePermissions(IEspContext& context, const IP
 
 static SecAccessFlags getDZPathScopePermissions(IEspContext& context, const char* dropZoneName, const char* dropZonePath, const char* dropZoneHost)
 {
-    if (isEmptyString(dropZonePath))
-        throw makeStringException(ECLWATCH_INVALID_CLUSTER_NAME, "getDZPathScopePermissions(): DropZone path must be specified.");
-
     Owned<IPropertyTree> dropZone;
     if (isEmptyString(dropZoneName))
     {
@@ -348,6 +342,16 @@ extern TPWRAPPER_API void validateDropZoneAccess(IEspContext& context, const cha
         if (!isHostInPlane(dropZone, hostReq, true))
             throw makeStringExceptionV(ECLWATCH_INVALID_INPUT, "Host %s is not valid DropZone plane %s", hostReq, targetDZNameOrHost);
     }
+
+    //If the dropZonePath is an absolute path, change it to a relative path.
+    if (isAbsolutePath(fileNameWithRelPath))
+    {
+        const char* relativePath = getRelativePath(fileNameWithRelPath, dropZone->queryProp("@prefix"));
+        if (nullptr == relativePath)
+            throw makeStringExceptionV(ECLWATCH_INVALID_INPUT, "Invalid DropZone path %s.", fileNameWithRelPath);
+        fileNameWithRelPath = relativePath;
+    }
+
     const char *dropZoneName = dropZone->queryProp("@name");
     SecAccessFlags permission = getDZFileScopePermissions(context, dropZoneName, fileNameWithRelPath, hostReq);
     if ((permission < permissionReq) && getGlobalConfigSP()->getPropBool("expert/@failOverToLegacyPhysicalPerms", !isContainerized()))
diff --git a/roxie/ccd/ccdfile.cpp b/roxie/ccd/ccdfile.cpp
index d7762aafc86..63222365a95 100644
--- a/roxie/ccd/ccdfile.cpp
+++ b/roxie/ccd/ccdfile.cpp
@@ -1185,7 +1185,7 @@ class CRoxieFileCache : implements IRoxieFileCache, implements ICopyFileProgress
                     throw MakeStringException(ROXIE_FILE_ERROR, "Local file %s does not match DFS information", localLocation);
                 else
                 {
-                    if (doTrace(TraceFlags::Always, TraceFlags::Detailed))
+                    if (doTrace(TraceFlags::Always, TraceFlags::Standard))
                     {
 #ifndef _CONTAINERIZED
                         DBGLOG("Failed to open file at any of the following %d local locations:", localLocations.length());