diff --git a/.default.nix b/.default.nix
index c37f142..14c93a2 100644
--- a/.default.nix
+++ b/.default.nix
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ in
     name = "Autocmake";
     buildInputs = [
       ccache
-      clang
       cmake
       doxygen
+      gcc
       gfortran
       liblapack
       openmpi
diff --git a/autocmake/generate.py b/autocmake/generate.py
index 244f647..4bcd905 100644
--- a/autocmake/generate.py
+++ b/autocmake/generate.py
@@ -45,6 +45,43 @@ def autogenerated_notice():
     return '\n'.join(s)
 
 
+def gen_cmake_options_wrappers():
+    s = []
+    s.append('\n# Macro for printing an option in a consistent manner')
+    s.append('# Written by Lori A. Burns (@loriab) and Ryan M. Richard (@ryanmrichard)')
+    s.append('# Syntax: print_option(<option to print> <was specified>)')
+    s.append('macro(print_option variable default)')
+    s.append('  if(NOT DEFINED ${variable} OR "${${variable}}" STREQUAL "")')
+    s.append('    message(STATUS "Setting (unspecified) option ${variable}: ${default}")')
+    s.append('  else()')
+    s.append('    message(STATUS "Setting option ${variable}: ${${variable}}")')
+    s.append('  endif()')
+    s.append('endmacro()')
+
+    s.append('\n# Wraps an option with default ON/OFF. Adds nice messaging to option()')
+    s.append('# Written by Lori A. Burns (@loriab) and Ryan M. Richard (@ryanmrichard)')
+    s.append('# Syntax: option_with_print(<option name> <description> <default value>)')
+    s.append('macro(option_with_print variable msge default)')
+    s.append('  print_option(${variable} ${default})')
+    s.append('  option(${variable} ${msge} ${default})')
+    s.append('endmacro(option_with_print)')
+
+    s.append('\n# Wraps an option with a default other than ON/OFF and prints it')
+    s.append('# Written by Lori A. Burns (@loriab) and Ryan M. Richard (@ryanmrichard)')
+    s.append('# NOTE: Can\'t combine with above b/c CMake handles ON/OFF options specially')
+    s.append('# NOTE2: CMake variables are always defined so need to further check for if')
+    s.append('#       they are the NULL string. This is also why weneed the force')
+    s.append('# Syntax: option_with_default(<option name> <description> <default value>)')
+    s.append('macro(option_with_default variable msge default)')
+    s.append('  print_option(${variable} "${default}")')
+    s.append('  if(NOT DEFINED ${variable} OR "${${variable}}" STREQUAL "")')
+    s.append('    set(${variable} "${default}" CACHE STRING ${msge} FORCE)')
+    s.append('  endif()')
+    s.append('endmacro(option_with_default)')
+
+    return '\n'.join(s)
+
+
 def gen_setup(config, default_build_type, relative_path, setup_script_name):
     """
     Generate setup script.
@@ -148,6 +185,8 @@ def gen_cmakelists(project_name, project_language, min_cmake_version, default_bu
     s.append('    set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "{0}")'.format(_build_type))
     s.append('endif()')
 
+    s.append(gen_cmake_options_wrappers())
+
     if len(modules) > 0:
         s.append('\n# directories which hold included cmake modules')
 
diff --git a/modules/math_libs.cmake b/modules/math_libs.cmake
index 0cff139..bd892f2 100644
--- a/modules/math_libs.cmake
+++ b/modules/math_libs.cmake
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 #     - "--blas=<BLAS> Detect and link BLAS library (auto or off) [default: auto]."
 #     - "--lapack=<LAPACK> Detect and link LAPACK library (auto or off) [default: auto]."
 #     - "--mkl=<MKL> Pass MKL flag to the Intel compiler and linker and skip BLAS/LAPACK detection (sequential, parallel, cluster, or off) [default: off]."
+#     - "--scalapack=<SCALAPACK_LIBRARIES> Link line for ScaLAPACK libraries [default: ]"
+#     - "--blacs=<BLACS_IMPLEMENTATION> Implementation of BLACS for MKL ScaLAPACK (openmpi, intelmpi, sgimpt) [default: openmpi]"
 #   define:
 #     - "'-DENABLE_BLAS={0}'.format(arguments['--blas'])"
 #     - "'-DENABLE_LAPACK={0}'.format(arguments['--lapack'])"
@@ -53,8 +55,19 @@
 #     - "'-DMATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER=\"MKL;ESSL;OPENBLAS;ATLAS;ACML;SYSTEM_NATIVE\"'"
 #     - "'-DBLAS_LANG=Fortran'"
 #     - "'-DLAPACK_LANG=Fortran'"
+#     - "'-DSCALAPACK_LIBRARIES=\"{0}\"'.format(arguments['--scalapack'])"
+#     - "'-DBLACS_IMPLEMENTATION=\"{0}\"'.format(arguments['--blacs'])"
 #   warning: "the math_libs.cmake module is deprecated and will be removed in future versions"
 
+option_with_default(ENABLE_BLAS "Enable BLAS autodetection" "auto")
+option_with_default(ENABLE_LAPACK "Enable LAPACK autodetection" "auto")
+option_with_default(MKL_FLAG "MKL flag for the Intel compiler and linker. Skips BLAS/LAPACK autodetection" "off")
+option_with_default(MATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER "Search order for autodetection of math libraries" "MKL;ESSL;OPENBLAS;ATLAS;ACML;SYSTEM_NATIVE")
+option_with_default(BLAS_LANG "Linker language for BLAS detection" "Fortran")
+option_with_default(LAPACK_LANG "Linker language for LAPACK detection" "Fortran")
+option_with_default(SCALAPACK_LIBRARIES "Link line for ScaLAPACK libraries" "")
+option_with_default(BLACS_IMPLEMENTATION "Implementation of BLACS for MKL ScaLAPACK" "openmpi")
+
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # ENABLE_STATIC_LINKING
 
@@ -197,7 +210,7 @@ if(${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR} STREQUAL "x86_64")
     endif()
 endif()
 
-if(ENABLE_SCALAPACK)
+if(ENABLE_SCALAPACK AND NOT SCALAPACK_LIBRARIES)
     set(_scalapack_lib      mkl_scalapack${_lib_suffix})
     if(${BLACS_IMPLEMENTATION} STREQUAL "intelmpi")
         set(_blacs_lib mkl_blacs_intelmpi${_lib_suffix})
@@ -211,6 +224,7 @@ if(ENABLE_SCALAPACK)
 else()
     set(_scalapack_lib)
     set(_blacs_lib)
+    set(BLACS_IMPLEMENTATION)
 endif()
 
 # MKL 10.0.1.014
@@ -432,7 +446,7 @@ foreach(_service BLAS LAPACK)
     endif()
 endforeach()
 
-if(NOT MKL_FLAG STREQUAL "off")
+if(MKL_FLAG AND NOT MKL_FLAG STREQUAL "off")
     set(EXTERNAL_LIBS ${EXTERNAL_LIBS} -mkl=${MKL_FLAG})
     set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -mkl=${MKL_FLAG}")
     message(STATUS "User set explicit MKL flag which is passed to the compiler and linker: -mkl=${MKL_FLAG}")
@@ -495,12 +509,21 @@ foreach(_service BLAS LAPACK)
 endforeach()
 
 # first lapack, then blas as lapack might need blas routine
-set(MATH_LIBS
-    ${MATH_LIBS}
-    ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES}
-    ${BLAS_LIBRARIES}
-    CACHE STRING "Math libraries"
-    )
+if(SCALAPACK_LIBRARIES)
+  list(APPEND MATH_LIBS
+      ${MATH_LIBS}
+      ${SCALAPACK_LIBRARIES}
+      ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES}
+      ${BLAS_LIBRARIES}
+      )
+else()
+  list(APPEND MATH_LIBS
+      ${MATH_LIBS}
+      ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES}
+      ${BLAS_LIBRARIES}
+      )
+endif()
+set(MATH_LIBS ${MATH_LIBS} CACHE STRING "Math libraries")
 
 # further adaptation for the static linking
 if (ENABLE_STATIC_LINKING)
@@ -519,9 +542,3 @@ if (ENABLE_STATIC_LINKING)
         set(MATH_LIBS ${MATH_LIBS} -ldl)
     endif()
 endif()
-
-if(MATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER)
-    # this print is here to avoid warning about MATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER which
-    # might be set but never used
-    message(STATUS "MATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER set to ${MATH_LIB_SEARCH_ORDER}")
-endif()