diff --git a/WHATSNEW.md b/WHATSNEW.md
index 057ff329..5030f571 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW.md
+++ b/WHATSNEW.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ This document attempts to track **major** changes and additions in ENiGMA½. For
 * `./oputil user group -group` to now accepts `~group` removing the need for special handling of the "-" character. #331
 * A fix has been made to clean up old `file.db` entries when a file is removed. Previously stale records could be left or even recycled into new entries. Please see [UPGRADE.md](UPGRADE.md) for details on applying this fix (look for `tables_update_2020-11-29.sql`).
 * The [./docs/modding/onelinerz.md](onelinerz) module can have `dbSuffix` set in it's `config` block to specify a separate DB file. For example to use as a requests list.
+* Default hash tags can now be set in file areas. Simply supply an array or list of values in a file area block via `hashTags`.
 
 ## 0.0.11-beta
 * Upgraded from `alpha` to `beta` -- The software is far along and mature enough at this point!
diff --git a/core/file_base_area.js b/core/file_base_area.js
index e9926111..57cf9cc7 100644
--- a/core/file_base_area.js
+++ b/core/file_base_area.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ exports.getFileAreasByTagWildcardRule   = getFileAreasByTagWildcardRule;
 exports.getFileEntryPath                = getFileEntryPath;
 exports.changeFileAreaWithOptions       = changeFileAreaWithOptions;
 exports.scanFile                        = scanFile;
-exports.scanFileAreaForChanges          = scanFileAreaForChanges;
+//exports.scanFileAreaForChanges          = scanFileAreaForChanges;
 exports.getDescFromFileName             = getDescFromFileName;
 exports.getAreaStats                    = getAreaStats;
 exports.cleanUpTempSessionItems         = cleanUpTempSessionItems;
@@ -139,7 +139,14 @@ function getDefaultFileAreaTag(client, disableAcsCheck) {
 function getFileAreaByTag(areaTag) {
     const areaInfo = Config().fileBase.areas[areaTag];
     if(areaInfo) {
-        areaInfo.areaTag    = areaTag;  //  convienence!
+        //  normalize |hashTags|
+        if (_.isString(areaInfo.hashTags)) {
+            areaInfo.hashTags = areaInfo.hashTags.trim().split(',');
+        }
+        if (Array.isArray(areaInfo.hashTags)) {
+            areaInfo.hashTags = new Set(areaInfo.hashTags.map(t => t.trim()));
+        }
+        areaInfo.areaTag    = areaTag;  //  convenience!
         areaInfo.storage    = getAreaStorageLocations(areaInfo);
         return areaInfo;
     }
@@ -794,7 +801,7 @@ function scanFile(filePath, options, iterator, cb) {
                             stepInfo.calcHashPercent    = Math.round(((stepInfo.bytesProcessed / stepInfo.byteSize) * 100));
 
                             //
-                            //  Only send 'hash_update' step update if we have a noticable percentage change in progress
+                            //  Only send 'hash_update' step update if we have a noticeable percentage change in progress
                             //
                             const data = bytesRead < chunkSize ? buffer.slice(0, bytesRead) : buffer;
                             if(!iterator || stepInfo.calcHashPercent === lastCalcHashPercent) {
@@ -871,90 +878,91 @@ function scanFile(filePath, options, iterator, cb) {
     );
 }
 
-function scanFileAreaForChanges(areaInfo, options, iterator, cb) {
-    if(3 === arguments.length && _.isFunction(iterator)) {
-        cb          = iterator;
-        iterator    = null;
-    } else if(2 === arguments.length && _.isFunction(options)) {
-        cb          = options;
-        iterator    = null;
-        options     = {};
-    }
+//  :TODO: this stuff needs cleaned up
+// function scanFileAreaForChanges(areaInfo, options, iterator, cb) {
+//     if(3 === arguments.length && _.isFunction(iterator)) {
+//         cb          = iterator;
+//         iterator    = null;
+//     } else if(2 === arguments.length && _.isFunction(options)) {
+//         cb          = options;
+//         iterator    = null;
+//         options     = {};
+//     }
 
-    const storageLocations = getAreaStorageLocations(areaInfo);
+//     const storageLocations = getAreaStorageLocations(areaInfo);
 
-    async.eachSeries(storageLocations, (storageLoc, nextLocation) => {
-        async.series(
-            [
-                function scanPhysFiles(callback) {
-                    const physDir = storageLoc.dir;
+//     async.eachSeries(storageLocations, (storageLoc, nextLocation) => {
+//         async.series(
+//             [
+//                 function scanPhysFiles(callback) {
+//                     const physDir = storageLoc.dir;
 
-                    fs.readdir(physDir, (err, files) => {
-                        if(err) {
-                            return callback(err);
-                        }
+//                     fs.readdir(physDir, (err, files) => {
+//                         if(err) {
+//                             return callback(err);
+//                         }
 
-                        async.eachSeries(files, (fileName, nextFile) => {
-                            const fullPath = paths.join(physDir, fileName);
+//                         async.eachSeries(files, (fileName, nextFile) => {
+//                             const fullPath = paths.join(physDir, fileName);
 
-                            fs.stat(fullPath, (err, stats) => {
-                                if(err) {
-                                    //  :TODO: Log me!
-                                    return nextFile(null);  //  always try next file
-                                }
+//                             fs.stat(fullPath, (err, stats) => {
+//                                 if(err) {
+//                                     //  :TODO: Log me!
+//                                     return nextFile(null);  //  always try next file
+//                                 }
 
-                                if(!stats.isFile()) {
-                                    return nextFile(null);
-                                }
+//                                 if(!stats.isFile()) {
+//                                     return nextFile(null);
+//                                 }
 
-                                scanFile(
-                                    fullPath,
-                                    {
-                                        areaTag     : areaInfo.areaTag,
-                                        storageTag  : storageLoc.storageTag
-                                    },
-                                    iterator,
-                                    (err, fileEntry, dupeEntries) => {
-                                        if(err) {
-                                            //  :TODO: Log me!!!
-                                            return nextFile(null);  //  try next anyway
-                                        }
+//                                 scanFile(
+//                                     fullPath,
+//                                     {
+//                                         areaTag     : areaInfo.areaTag,
+//                                         storageTag  : storageLoc.storageTag
+//                                     },
+//                                     iterator,
+//                                     (err, fileEntry, dupeEntries) => {
+//                                         if(err) {
+//                                             //  :TODO: Log me!!!
+//                                             return nextFile(null);  //  try next anyway
+//                                         }
 
-                                        if(dupeEntries.length > 0) {
-                                            //  :TODO: Handle duplidates -- what to do here???
-                                        } else {
-                                            if(Array.isArray(options.tags)) {
-                                                options.tags.forEach(tag => {
-                                                    fileEntry.hashTags.add(tag);
-                                                });
-                                            }
-                                            addNewFileEntry(fileEntry, fullPath, err => {
-                                                //  pass along error; we failed to insert a record in our DB or something else bad
-                                                return nextFile(err);
-                                            });
-                                        }
-                                    }
-                                );
-                            });
-                        }, err => {
-                            return callback(err);
-                        });
-                    });
-                },
-                function scanDbEntries(callback) {
-                    //  :TODO: Look @ db entries for area that were *not* processed above
-                    return callback(null);
-                }
-            ],
-            err => {
-                return nextLocation(err);
-            }
-        );
-    },
-    err => {
-        return cb(err);
-    });
-}
+//                                         if(dupeEntries.length > 0) {
+//                                             //  :TODO: Handle duplicates -- what to do here???
+//                                         } else {
+//                                             if(Array.isArray(options.tags)) {
+//                                                 options.tags.forEach(tag => {
+//                                                     fileEntry.hashTags.add(tag);
+//                                                 });
+//                                             }
+//                                             addNewFileEntry(fileEntry, fullPath, err => {
+//                                                 //  pass along error; we failed to insert a record in our DB or something else bad
+//                                                 return nextFile(err);
+//                                             });
+//                                         }
+//                                     }
+//                                 );
+//                             });
+//                         }, err => {
+//                             return callback(err);
+//                         });
+//                     });
+//                 },
+//                 function scanDbEntries(callback) {
+//                     //  :TODO: Look @ db entries for area that were *not* processed above
+//                     return callback(null);
+//                 }
+//             ],
+//             err => {
+//                 return nextLocation(err);
+//             }
+//         );
+//     },
+//     err => {
+//         return cb(err);
+//     });
+// }
 
 function getDescFromFileName(fileName) {
     //
diff --git a/core/oputil/oputil_file_base.js b/core/oputil/oputil_file_base.js
index 308d3581..1642b8ac 100644
--- a/core/oputil/oputil_file_base.js
+++ b/core/oputil/oputil_file_base.js
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ function scanFileAreaForChanges(areaInfo, options, cb) {
     function updateTags(fe) {
         if(Array.isArray(options.tags)) {
             fe.hashTags = new Set(options.tags);
+        } else if (areaInfo.hashTags) { //  no explicit tags; merge in defaults, if any
+            fe.hashTags = areaInfo.hashTags;
         }
     }
 
@@ -227,7 +229,8 @@ function scanFileAreaForChanges(areaInfo, options, cb) {
                                                 fullPath,
                                                 {
                                                     areaTag		: areaInfo.areaTag,
-                                                    storageTag	: storageLoc.storageTag
+                                                    storageTag	: storageLoc.storageTag,
+                                                    hashTags    : areaInfo.hashTags,
                                                 },
                                                 (stepInfo, next) => {
                                                     if(argv.verbose) {
diff --git a/core/upload.js b/core/upload.js
index b451ac9a..7ab79c48 100644
--- a/core/upload.js
+++ b/core/upload.js
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ exports.getModule = class UploadModule extends MenuModule {
             const scanOpts = {
                 areaTag     : self.areaInfo.areaTag,
                 storageTag  : self.areaInfo.storageTags[0],
+                hashTags    : self.areaInfo.hashTags,
             };
 
             function handleScanStep(stepInfo, nextScanStep) {
diff --git a/docs/filebase/first-file-area.md b/docs/filebase/first-file-area.md
index ae9e0fd2..db1efed8 100644
--- a/docs/filebase/first-file-area.md
+++ b/docs/filebase/first-file-area.md
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ File base *Areas* are configured using the `fileBase.areas` configuration block
 | `desc` | :-1: | Friendly area description. |
 | `storageTags` | :+1: | An array of storage tags for physical storage backing of the files in this area. If uploads are enabled for this area, **first** storage tag location is utilized! |
 | `sort` | :-1: | If present, provides the sort key for ordering. `name` is used otherwise. |
+| `hashTags` | :-1: | Set to an array of strings or comma separated list to provide _default_ hash tags for this area. |
 
 Example areas section:
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ areas: {
 		name: Retro PC
 		desc: Oldschool PC/DOS
 		storageTags: [ "retro_pc_dos", "retro_pc_bbs" ]
+		hashTags: ["retro", "pc", "dos" ]
 	}
 }
 ```