diff --git a/source/dub/platform.d b/source/dub/platform.d
index face9ca..37122d7 100644
--- a/source/dub/platform.d
+++ b/source/dub/platform.d
@@ -188,16 +188,14 @@
 */
 bool matchesSpecification(in BuildPlatform platform, const(char)[] specification)
 {
-	import std.string : format;
+	import std.string : chompPrefix, format;
 	import std.algorithm : canFind, splitter;
 	import std.exception : enforce;
 
 	if (specification.empty) return true;
 	if (platform == BuildPlatform.any) return true;
 
-	auto splitted = specification.splitter('-');
-	assert(!splitted.empty, "No valid platform specification! The leading hyphen is required!");
-	splitted.popFront(); // Drop leading empty match.
+	auto splitted = specification.chompPrefix("-").splitter('-');
 	enforce(!splitted.empty, format("Platform specification, if present, must not be empty: \"%s\"", specification));
 
 	if (platform.platform.canFind(splitted.front)) {
@@ -220,16 +218,19 @@
 
 ///
 unittest {
-	auto platform=BuildPlatform(["posix", "linux"], ["x86_64"], "dmd");
+	auto platform = BuildPlatform(["posix", "linux"], ["x86_64"], "dmd");
 	assert(platform.matchesSpecification(""));
-	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("-posix"));
-	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("-linux"));
-	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("-linux-dmd"));
-	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("-linux-x86_64-dmd"));
+	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("posix"));
+	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("linux"));
+	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("linux-dmd"));
+	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("linux-x86_64-dmd"));
+	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("x86_64"));
+	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("windows"));
+	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("ldc"));
+	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("windows-dmd"));
+
+	// Before PR#2279, a leading '-' was required
 	assert(platform.matchesSpecification("-x86_64"));
-	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("-windows"));
-	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("-ldc"));
-	assert(!platform.matchesSpecification("-windows-dmd"));
 }
 
 /// Represents a platform a package can be build upon.
@@ -281,5 +282,3 @@
 		assert(!bp.isWindows);
 	}
 }
-
-
diff --git a/source/dub/recipe/json.d b/source/dub/recipe/json.d
index e96e5a9..9c9c7f6 100644
--- a/source/dub/recipe/json.d
+++ b/source/dub/recipe/json.d
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@
 	{
 		auto idx = indexOf(name, "-");
 		string basename, suffix;
-		if( idx >= 0 ) { basename = name[0 .. idx]; suffix = name[idx .. $]; }
+		if( idx >= 0 ) { basename = name[0 .. idx]; suffix = name[idx + 1 .. $]; }
 		else basename = name;
 		switch(basename){
 			default: break;
@@ -260,6 +260,13 @@
 
 private Json toJson(const scope ref BuildSettingsTemplate bs)
 {
+	static string withSuffix (string pre, string post)
+	{
+		if (!post.length)
+			return pre;
+		return pre ~ "-" ~ post;
+	}
+
 	auto ret = Json.emptyObject;
 	if( bs.dependencies !is null ){
 		auto deps = Json.emptyObject;
@@ -274,47 +281,47 @@
 	if (!bs.workingDirectory.empty) ret["workingDirectory"] = bs.workingDirectory;
 	if (!bs.mainSourceFile.empty) ret["mainSourceFile"] = bs.mainSourceFile;
 	if (bs.subConfigurations.length > 0) ret["subConfigurations"] = serializeToJson(bs.subConfigurations);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.dflags) ret["dflags"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.lflags) ret["lflags"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.libs) ret["libs"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.sourceFiles) ret["sourceFiles"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.sourcePaths) ret["sourcePaths"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.excludedSourceFiles) ret["excludedSourceFiles"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.injectSourceFiles) ret["injectSourceFiles"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.copyFiles) ret["copyFiles"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.extraDependencyFiles) ret["extraDependencyFiles"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.versions) ret["versions"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.debugVersions) ret["debugVersions"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.versionFilters) ret["-versionFilters"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.debugVersionFilters) ret["-debugVersionFilters"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.importPaths) ret["importPaths"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.stringImportPaths) ret["stringImportPaths"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preGenerateCommands) ret["preGenerateCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postGenerateCommands) ret["postGenerateCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preBuildCommands) ret["preBuildCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postBuildCommands) ret["postBuildCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preRunCommands) ret["preRunCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postRunCommands) ret["postRunCommands"~suffix] = serializeToJson(arr);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.environments) ret["environments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.buildEnvironments) ret["buildEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.runEnvironments) ret["runEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preGenerateEnvironments) ret["preGenerateEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postGenerateEnvironments) ret["postGenerateEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preBuildEnvironments) ret["preBuildEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postBuildEnvironments) ret["postBuildEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preRunEnvironments) ret["preRunEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
-	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postRunEnvironments) ret["postRunEnvironments"~suffix] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.dflags) ret[withSuffix("dflags", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.lflags) ret[withSuffix("lflags", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.libs) ret[withSuffix("libs", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.sourceFiles) ret[withSuffix("sourceFiles", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.sourcePaths) ret[withSuffix("sourcePaths", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.excludedSourceFiles) ret[withSuffix("excludedSourceFiles", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.injectSourceFiles) ret[withSuffix("injectSourceFiles", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.copyFiles) ret[withSuffix("copyFiles", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.extraDependencyFiles) ret[withSuffix("extraDependencyFiles", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.versions) ret[withSuffix("versions", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.debugVersions) ret[withSuffix("debugVersions", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.versionFilters) ret[withSuffix("-versionFilters", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.debugVersionFilters) ret[withSuffix("-debugVersionFilters", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.importPaths) ret[withSuffix("importPaths", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.stringImportPaths) ret[withSuffix("stringImportPaths", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preGenerateCommands) ret[withSuffix("preGenerateCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postGenerateCommands) ret[withSuffix("postGenerateCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preBuildCommands) ret[withSuffix("preBuildCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postBuildCommands) ret[withSuffix("postBuildCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.preRunCommands) ret[withSuffix("preRunCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.postRunCommands) ret[withSuffix("postRunCommands", suffix)] = serializeToJson(arr);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.environments) ret[withSuffix("environments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.buildEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("buildEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.runEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("runEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preGenerateEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("preGenerateEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postGenerateEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("postGenerateEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preBuildEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("preBuildEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postBuildEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("postBuildEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.preRunEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("preRunEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
+	foreach (suffix, aa; bs.postRunEnvironments) ret[withSuffix("postRunEnvironments", suffix)] = serializeToJson(aa);
 	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.buildRequirements) {
 		string[] val;
 		foreach (i; [EnumMembers!BuildRequirement])
 			if (arr & i) val ~= to!string(i);
-		ret["buildRequirements"~suffix] = serializeToJson(val);
+		ret[withSuffix("buildRequirements", suffix)] = serializeToJson(val);
 	}
 	foreach (suffix, arr; bs.buildOptions) {
 		string[] val;
 		foreach (i; [EnumMembers!BuildOption])
 			if (arr & i) val ~= to!string(i);
-		ret["buildOptions"~suffix] = serializeToJson(val);
+		ret[withSuffix("buildOptions", suffix)] = serializeToJson(val);
 	}
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/source/dub/recipe/packagerecipe.d b/source/dub/recipe/packagerecipe.d
index 33bf25c..d32578e 100644
--- a/source/dub/recipe/packagerecipe.d
+++ b/source/dub/recipe/packagerecipe.d
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
 	const {
 		if( platforms.empty ) return true;
 		foreach(p; platforms)
-			if( platform.matchesSpecification("-"~p) )
+			if (platform.matchesSpecification(p))
 				return true;
 		return false;
 	}
diff --git a/source/dub/recipe/sdl.d b/source/dub/recipe/sdl.d
index d7c7418..0897562 100644
--- a/source/dub/recipe/sdl.d
+++ b/source/dub/recipe/sdl.d
@@ -241,12 +241,12 @@
 	void add(string name, string value, string namespace = null) { ret ~= new Tag(namespace, name, [Value(value)]); }
 	void adda(string name, string suffix, in string[] values, string namespace = null) {
 		ret ~= new Tag(namespace, name, values[].map!(v => Value(v)).array,
-			suffix.length ? [new Attribute(null, "platform", Value(suffix[1 .. $]))] : null);
+			suffix.length ? [new Attribute(null, "platform", Value(suffix))] : null);
 	}
 	void addaa(string name, string suffix, in string[string] values, string namespace = null) {
 		foreach (k, v; values) {
 			ret ~= new Tag(namespace, name, [Value(k), Value(v)],
-				suffix.length ? [new Attribute(null, "platform", Value(suffix[1 .. $]))] : null);
+				suffix.length ? [new Attribute(null, "platform", Value(suffix))] : null);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
 {
 	string platform;
 	if ("platform" in t.attributes)
-		platform = "-" ~ t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
+		platform = t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
 	dst[platform] ~= t.values.map!(v => v.get!string).array;
 }
 private void parsePlatformStringAA(Tag t, ref string[string][string] dst)
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@
 	import std.string : format;
 	string platform;
 	if ("platform" in t.attributes)
-		platform = "-" ~ t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
+		platform = t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
 	enforceSDL(t.values.length == 2, format("Values for '%s' must be 2 required.", t.fullName), t);
 	enforceSDL(t.values[0].peek!string !is null, format("Values for '%s' must be strings.", t.fullName), t);
 	enforceSDL(t.values[1].peek!string !is null, format("Values for '%s' must be strings.", t.fullName), t);
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@
 {
 	string platform;
 	if ("platform" in t.attributes)
-		platform = "-" ~ t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
+		platform = t.attributes["platform"][0].value.get!string;
 	foreach (v; t.values) {
 		if (platform !in dst) dst[platform] = Es.init;
 		dst[platform] |= v.get!string.to!E;
@@ -606,9 +606,9 @@
 	PackageRecipe rec;
 	parseSDL(rec, sdl, null, "testfile");
 	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags.length == 3);
-	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags["-windows-x86"] == ["-a", "-b", "-c"]);
+	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags["windows-x86"] == ["-a", "-b", "-c"]);
 	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags[""] == ["-e", "-f", "-g"]);
-	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags["-linux"] == ["-h", "-i", "-j"]);
+	assert(rec.buildSettings.dflags["linux"] == ["-h", "-i", "-j"]);
 }
 
 unittest { // test for missing name field
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@
 	PackageRecipe p;
 	p.name = "test";
 	p.authors = ["foo", "bar"];
-	p.buildSettings.dflags["-windows"] = ["-a"];
+	p.buildSettings.dflags["windows"] = ["-a"];
 	p.buildSettings.lflags[""] = ["-b", "-c"];
 	auto sdl = toSDL(p).toSDLDocument();
 	assert(sdl ==