diff --git a/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.c b/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.c
index dd3e958..8a43fbf 100644
--- a/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.c
+++ b/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.c
@@ -1012,6 +1012,60 @@ void execute_command(struct command_table_struct *command)
 	command->command();
 }
 
+/*
+  execute_command used in python call stopped working with
+  new swig and Alma linux 9. The extern declaration did not work
+  As the only command called over python was Status the call to it was
+  implemented
+*/
+void execute_status_command(void)
+{
+        struct command_table_struct command;
+	RequestSense_T RequestSense;
+
+	command = command_table[1];
+	if (device == NULL && command.need_device)
+	{
+		/* try to get it from TAPE environment variable... */
+		device = getenv("CHANGER");
+		if (device == NULL)
+		{
+			device = getenv("TAPE");
+			if (device == NULL)
+			{
+				device = "/dev/changer"; /* Usage(); */
+			}
+		}
+		open_device();
+	}
+	if (command.need_status && absolute_addressing)
+	{
+	  FreeElementData(ElementStatus);
+	  ElementStatus = NULL;
+	}
+	if (!ElementStatus && command.need_status)
+	{
+		inquiry_info = RequestInquiry(MediumChangerFD,&RequestSense);
+		if (!inquiry_info)
+		{
+			PrintRequestSense(&RequestSense);
+			FatalError("INQUIRY command Failed\n");
+		}
+
+		ElementStatus = ReadElementStatus(MediumChangerFD, &RequestSense, inquiry_info, &SCSI_Flags);
+		if (!ElementStatus)
+		{
+			PrintRequestSense(&RequestSense);
+			FatalError("READ ELEMENT STATUS Command Failed\n");
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* okay, now to execute the command... */
+	command.command();
+}
+
+
+
 /* parse_args():
  *   Basically, we are parsing argv/argc. We can have multiple commands
  * on a line now, such as "unload 3 0 load 4 0" to unload one tape and
diff --git a/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.spec b/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.spec
index 5fe7d85..78afc48 100644
--- a/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.spec
+++ b/mtx-1.3.12/mtx.spec
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Name: mtx
 Version: 1.3.12
-Release: 22fnal_jinr%{?dist}
+Release: 29fnal_jinr%{?dist}
 Summary: SCSI media changer control program
 License: GPLv2
 Group: Applications/System
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 
 
 %changelog
+* Tue Apr 01 2025 Alexander Moibenko <moibenko@jinr.ru> - 1.3.12.29fnal_jinr
+- execute_command stopped working on new system replaced it
 * Wed Aug 28 2024  Alexander Moibenko <moibenko@fnal.gov> - 1.3.12.22fnal_jinr 
 - More fixes in copying serial number
 * Thu Dec 07 2023 Alexander Moibenko <moibenko@jinr.ru> - 1.3.12-19fnal
diff --git a/mtx-1.3.12/mtxl.c b/mtx-1.3.12/mtxl.c
index dddf4e9..92569f6 100644
--- a/mtx-1.3.12/mtxl.c
+++ b/mtx-1.3.12/mtxl.c
@@ -626,6 +626,7 @@ void copy_char_buffer(unsigned char *src, unsigned char *dest, int num)
  {
    *dest_tmp++ = 0;
  }
+  dest_tmp = dest;
   /* there happen cases when serial number begins with several ' ' */
   /* skip them */
   while (*src == ' ') {
@@ -638,6 +639,12 @@ void copy_char_buffer(unsigned char *src, unsigned char *dest, int num)
    }
    src++;
  }
+  /* there happen cases when serial number is '' */
+  /* take care of this */
+  if (strlen(dest_tmp) == 0) {
+    *dest++ = 'X';
+    *dest = 'X';
+  } 
 }
 
 /* This #%!@# routine has more parameters than I can count! */
@@ -1122,7 +1129,6 @@ static void ParseElementStatus(	int *EmptyStorageElementAddress,
 				  }
 				  else
 				  {
-
 				    copy_char_buffer(inqs->SerialNumber, ElementStatus->DataTransferElementSerialNumber[ElementStatus->DataTransferElementCount], 12);
 				    copy_char_buffer(inqs->ProductIdentification+2, ElementStatus->DataTransferElementProductId[ElementStatus->DataTransferElementCount], 12);
 				  }
diff --git a/mtx-1.3.12/tapeinfo.c b/mtx-1.3.12/tapeinfo.c
index 276abc2..2e79bd4 100644
--- a/mtx-1.3.12/tapeinfo.c
+++ b/mtx-1.3.12/tapeinfo.c
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ static void ReportTapeAlert(DEVICE_TYPE fd)
 	{
 		if (result->data[i])
 		{
-			printf("TapeAlert[%d]: %s.\n", i, tapealert_messages[i]);
+			printf("TapeAlert[%x]: %s.\n", i, tapealert_messages[i]);
 		}
 	}