diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9921a7c..211f2ce 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 # Rbcli Changelog
 
+## 0.4.3 (Oct 22, 2025)
+
+### Improvements
+
+* Improved efficiency of string compression by using `Base64.strict_encode64`
+* Added an option to write annotations to skeleton rbcli gems
+* Added an option to exit when using Logger.fatal
+
+### Bugfixes
+
+* Fixed an error which caused the rbcli initializer not to generate skeleton projects
+
 ## 0.4.2 (May 1, 2025)
 
 ### Features
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index f7abe27..70d5b25 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.4.2
\ No newline at end of file
+0.4.3
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/exe/rbcli b/exe/rbcli
index beeb6ff..d202908 100755
--- a/exe/rbcli
+++ b/exe/rbcli
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ end
 
 Rbcli.command "portable" do
   description 'Creates a portable Rbcli executable'
-  usage "(--(d)ocs|--use-(b)undler|--(f)orce) <application_name>"
+  usage "(--(a)nnotate|--use-(b)undler|--(f)orce) <application_name>"
   helptext <<~HELPTEXT
     This will initialize a portable Rbcli project in the current directory.
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ end
 
 Rbcli.command "gem" do
   description 'Creates an full Rbcli-based gem project'
-  usage "(--(f)orce) <application_name>"
+  usage "(--(a)nnotate|--(f)orce) <application_name>"
   helptext <<~HELPTEXT
     This will initialize an complete Rbcli project in the current directory.
 
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ Rbcli.command "gem" do
     If you'd prefer a single-file executable script, run `rbcli portable --help` for more information. 
   HELPTEXT
 
+  parameter :annotate, "Add annotations and examples for a more guided build"
   parameter :force, "Overwrite files without prompting"
 
   action do |opts, params, args, config, env|
@@ -94,9 +95,9 @@ Rbcli.command "gem" do
     end
     vars = {
       appname: args.first,
-      use_bundler: params[:use_bundler],
+      use_bundler: false,
       development: env[:development],
-      showdocs: params[:docs]
+      showdocs: params[:annotate]
     }
     project_dir = File.join(Dir.getwd, vars[:appname])
     config_dir = File.join(project_dir, 'lib', 'config')
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ Rbcli.command "gem" do
     Rbcli.log.info "Running bundler gem", 'TOOL'
     `bundle gem --exe --coc #{vars[:appname]}`
     Rbcli.log.debug "Creating Rbcli project identifier", 'TOOL'
-    FileUtils.touch(File.join(project_dir), '.rbcli')
+    FileUtils.touch(File.join(project_dir, '.rbcli'))
     Rbcli.log.debug "Creating additional directories", 'TOOL'
     [config_dir, command_dir, scripts_dir].each { |dir| FileUtils.mkdir_p(dir) }
     FileUtils.touch(File.join(scripts_dir, '.keep'))
diff --git a/lib/rbcli/components/logger/logger.rb b/lib/rbcli/components/logger/logger.rb
index cd22449..be34298 100644
--- a/lib/rbcli/components/logger/logger.rb
+++ b/lib/rbcli/components/logger/logger.rb
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@ def error message, progname = nil, &block
     self.add(Logger::ERROR, message, progname, &block)
   end
 
-  def fatal message, progname = nil, &block
+  def fatal message, progname = nil, exit_status: nil, &block
     self.add(Logger::FATAL, message, progname, &block)
+    Rbcli.exit(exit_status) unless exit_status.nil?
   end
 
   def unknown message, progname = nil, &block
diff --git a/lib/rbcli/util/string_compression.rb b/lib/rbcli/util/string_compression.rb
index e5dbc5a..1ec8275 100644
--- a/lib/rbcli/util/string_compression.rb
+++ b/lib/rbcli/util/string_compression.rb
@@ -6,5 +6,5 @@
 require 'base64'
 require 'zlib'
 
-String.instance_eval { define_method(:compress) { Base64.encode64(Zlib::Deflate.deflate(self)).chomp } }
-String.instance_eval { define_method(:decompress) { Zlib::Inflate.inflate(Base64.decode64(self)) } }
\ No newline at end of file
+String.instance_eval { define_method(:compress) { Base64.strict_encode64(Zlib::Deflate.deflate(self)) } }
+String.instance_eval { define_method(:decompress) { Zlib::Inflate.inflate(Base64.strict_decode64(self)) } }
\ No newline at end of file