diff --git a/src/rez/package_py_utils.py b/src/rez/package_py_utils.py
index bd1ad9ba1..a1066ee22 100644
--- a/src/rez/package_py_utils.py
+++ b/src/rez/package_py_utils.py
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ def expand_requirement(request):
     Returns:
         str: Expanded request string.
     """
+    if '*' not in request:
+        return request
+
     from rez.vendor.version.requirement import VersionedObject, Requirement
     from rez.packages_ import get_latest_package
 
diff --git a/src/rez/package_resources_.py b/src/rez/package_resources_.py
index 4f9d30a24..feaada688 100644
--- a/src/rez/package_resources_.py
+++ b/src/rez/package_resources_.py
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ class _Metas(AttributeForwardMeta, LazyAttributeMeta): pass
     schema = variant_schema
 
     # forward Package attributes onto ourself
-    keys = schema_keys(package_schema) - set(["requires", "variants"])
+    keys = schema_keys(package_schema) - set(["variants"])
 
     def _uri(self):
         index = self.index
@@ -418,11 +418,6 @@ def _root(self):
             root = os.path.join(self.base, self.subpath)
             return root
 
-    #@cached_property
-    #def requires(self):
-    #    reqs = self.parent.requires or []
-    #    return reqs + self.variant_requires
-
     @cached_property
     def variant_requires(self):
         index = self.index
diff --git a/src/rez/rex.py b/src/rez/rex.py
index 5b70556f9..08760cf17 100644
--- a/src/rez/rex.py
+++ b/src/rez/rex.py
@@ -1158,6 +1158,8 @@ def compile_code(cls, code, filename=None, exec_namespace=None):
                     code.exec_(globals_=exec_namespace)
                 else:
                     exec pyc in exec_namespace
+            except RexError:
+                raise
             except SourceCodeError as e:
                 reraise(e, RexError)
             except error_class as e:
@@ -1195,8 +1197,14 @@ def execute_function(self, func, *nargs, **kwargs):
 
         try:
             return fn(*nargs, **kwargs)
+        except RexError:
+            raise
         except error_class as e:
+            from inspect import getfile
+
             stack = traceback.format_exc()
+            filename = getfile(func)
+
             raise RexError("Failed to exec %s:\n\n%s" % (filename, stack))
 
     def get_output(self, style=OutputStyle.file):
diff --git a/src/rez/tests/test_packages.py b/src/rez/tests/test_packages.py
index 836bd39ee..d17d0daef 100644
--- a/src/rez/tests/test_packages.py
+++ b/src/rez/tests/test_packages.py
@@ -184,20 +184,21 @@ def test_5(self):
 
     def test_6(self):
         """test variant iteration."""
-        expected_data_ = dict(
+        expected_data = dict(
             name="variants_py",
             version=Version("2.0"),
             description="package with variants",
             base=os.path.join(self.py_packages_path, "variants_py", "2.0"),
+            requires=[PackageRequest("python-2.7")],
             commands=SourceCode('env.PATH.append("{root}/bin")'))
 
         requires_ = ["platform-linux", "platform-osx"]
 
         package = get_package("variants_py", "2.0")
         for i, variant in enumerate(package.iter_variants()):
-            expected_data = expected_data_.copy()
-            expected_data["requires"] = [PackageRequest('python-2.7'),
-                                         PackageRequest(requires_[i])]
+            #expected_data = expected_data_.copy()
+            #expected_data["requires"] = [PackageRequest('python-2.7'),
+            #                             PackageRequest(requires_[i])]
             data = variant.validated_data()
             self.assertDictEqual(data, expected_data)
             self.assertEqual(variant.index, i)
diff --git a/src/rez/utils/data_utils.py b/src/rez/utils/data_utils.py
index 3b187b174..0965d68f4 100644
--- a/src/rez/utils/data_utils.py
+++ b/src/rez/utils/data_utils.py
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ def func(self, key, attr, schema):
     @classmethod
     def _make_getter(cls, key, attribute, optional, key_schema):
         def getter(self):
-            if key not in self._data:
+            if key not in (self._data or {}):
                 if optional:
                     return None
                 raise self.schema_error("Required key is missing: %r" % key)
diff --git a/src/rezplugins/package_repository/filesystem.py b/src/rezplugins/package_repository/filesystem.py
index 58ecb040c..4b574589a 100644
--- a/src/rezplugins/package_repository/filesystem.py
+++ b/src/rezplugins/package_repository/filesystem.py
@@ -760,11 +760,15 @@ def _create_variant(self, variant, dry_run=False, overrides=None):
         new_package_data.pop("variants", None)
         package_changed = False
 
-        for key in package_build_only_keys:
-            new_package_data.pop(key, None)
+        def remove_build_keys(obj):
+            for key in package_build_only_keys:
+                obj.pop(key, None)
+
+        remove_build_keys(new_package_data)
 
         if existing_package:
             existing_package_data = existing_package.validated_data()
+            remove_build_keys(existing_package_data)
 
             # detect case where new variant introduces package changes outside of variant
             data_1 = existing_package_data.copy()