diff --git a/xos/configurations/cord-pod/Makefile b/xos/configurations/cord-pod/Makefile
index ce1baf8..950f758 100644
--- a/xos/configurations/cord-pod/Makefile
+++ b/xos/configurations/cord-pod/Makefile
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 .PHONY: xos
-xos: nodes.yaml images.yaml
+xos: up bootstrap
+
+up:
 	sudo docker-compose up -d
 	../common/wait_for_xos_port.sh 80
+
+bootstrap: nodes.yaml images.yaml
 	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py none /opt/xos/configurations/common/fixtures.yaml
 	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py none /opt/xos/configurations/common/mydeployment.yaml
 	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py padmin@vicci.org /root/setup/setup.yaml
 	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py padmin@vicci.org /root/setup/nodes.yaml
+	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py padmin@vicci.org /root/setup/nodes.yaml
 	sudo docker-compose run xos python /opt/xos/tosca/run.py padmin@vicci.org /root/setup/images.yaml
 
 vtn: vtn-external.yaml
diff --git a/xos/core/models/service.py b/xos/core/models/service.py
index 1c19e56..4bac02c 100644
--- a/xos/core/models/service.py
+++ b/xos/core/models/service.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
     kind = StrippedCharField(
         max_length=30, help_text="Kind of service", default=KIND)
     name = StrippedCharField(max_length=30, help_text="Service Name")
-    versionNumber = StrippedCharField(
+    versionNumber = StrippedCharField(blank=True, null=True,
         max_length=30, help_text="Version of Service Definition")
     published = models.BooleanField(default=True)
     view_url = StrippedCharField(blank=True, null=True, max_length=1024)
diff --git a/xos/core/models/slice.py b/xos/core/models/slice.py
index a449691..3934f3f 100644
--- a/xos/core/models/slice.py
+++ b/xos/core/models/slice.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from core.models import Role
 from core.models import Controller,ControllerLinkManager,ControllerLinkDeletionManager
 from core.models import ServiceClass
-from core.models.serviceclass import get_default_serviceclass
+#from core.models.serviceclass import get_default_serviceclass
 from core.models import Tag
 from django.contrib.contenttypes import generic
 from core.models import Service
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     network = models.CharField(null=True, blank=True, max_length=256, choices=NETWORK_CHOICES)
     exposed_ports = models.CharField(null=True, blank=True, max_length=256)
     tags = generic.GenericRelation(Tag)
-    serviceClass = models.ForeignKey(ServiceClass, related_name = "slices", null=True, default=get_default_serviceclass)
+    serviceClass = models.ForeignKey(ServiceClass, related_name = "slices", null=True, blank=True)  # DEPRECATED
     creator = models.ForeignKey(User, related_name='slices', blank=True, null=True)
 
     # for tenant view
@@ -62,12 +62,6 @@
         if " " in self.name:
             raise XOSValidationError('slice name must not contain spaces')
 
-        if self.serviceClass is None:
-            # We allowed None=True for serviceClass because Django evolution
-            # will fail unless it is allowed. But, we we really don't want it to
-            # ever save None, so fix it up here.
-            self.serviceClass = ServiceClass.get_default()
-        
         # set creator on first save
         if not self.creator and hasattr(self, 'caller'):
             self.creator = self.caller