diff --git a/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.cc b/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.cc
index 4da407d..4e5a0b8 100644
--- a/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.cc
+++ b/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.cc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ void PluginSaver::buildPlugins() {
                 printf("Plugin '%s' missing from input file; skipped.\n", pnm.c_str());
                 continue;
             }
-            PB->second->makePlugin(this, inflname);
+            PB->second->makePlugin(this);
         }
     } else {
         /// construct all plugins
diff --git a/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.hh b/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.hh
index 7909136..a527a6a 100644
--- a/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.hh
+++ b/ROOTUtils/PluginSaver.hh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 class PluginBuilder {
 public:
     /// instantiate plugin SegmentSaver
-    virtual void makePlugin(OutputManager* pnt, const string& inflName = "") = 0;
+    virtual void makePlugin(SegmentSaver* pnt) = 0;
     
     SegmentSaver* thePlugin = NULL;     ///< instantiated plugin (not memory managed here)
 };
diff --git a/ROOTUtils/SegmentSaver.cc b/ROOTUtils/SegmentSaver.cc
index dc0a199..cb0bd3c 100644
--- a/ROOTUtils/SegmentSaver.cc
+++ b/ROOTUtils/SegmentSaver.cc
@@ -33,9 +33,13 @@ OutputManager(nm,pnt), ignoreMissingHistos(false), inflname(inflName), isCalcula
         dirIn = fIn->GetDirectory("");
         inflAge = fileAge(inflname);
         printf("Loading data from %s [%.1f hours old]...\n",inflname.c_str(),inflAge/3600.);
+    } else { // try sub-directory of parent if file not specified
+        auto PSS = dynamic_cast<SegmentSaver*>(pnt);
+        if(PSS && PSS->dirIn) {
+            dirIn = PSS->dirIn->GetDirectory(nm.c_str());
+            if(!dirIn) dirIn = PSS->dirIn; // fallback for backwards compatibility prior to subdirectories
+        }
     }
-    auto PSS = dynamic_cast<SegmentSaver*>(pnt);
-    if(PSS && PSS->dirIn) dirIn = PSS->dirIn->GetDirectory(nm.c_str());
 }
 
 SegmentSaver::~SegmentSaver() {