diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index b7269b66ee..642bec51e5 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
                 -e SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION \
                 -e NRN_BUILD_FOR_UPLOAD=1 \
                 'docker.io/neuronsimulator/neuron_wheel:manylinux_2_28_aarch64' \
-                packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux 3<< parameters.NRN_PYTHON_VERSION_MINOR >> coreneuron
+                packaging/python/build_wheels.bash $(uname -s) 3<< parameters.NRN_PYTHON_VERSION_MINOR >> coreneuron
 
       - store_artifacts:
           path: ./wheelhouse
diff --git a/.github/workflows/neuron-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/neuron-ci.yml
index 1c0195a2af..5302f848a8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/neuron-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/neuron-ci.yml
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ jobs:
             echo CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL=3 >> $GITHUB_ENV
             echo CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL=3 >> $GITHUB_ENV
           fi
-          echo CI_OS_NAME=osx >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo CI_OS_NAME=$(uname -s) >> $GITHUB_ENV
         shell: bash
 
       - name: Install apt packages
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ jobs:
           # Core https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners/about-github-hosted-runners#standard-github-hosted-runners-for-public-repositories
           echo CMAKE_BUILD_PARALLEL_LEVEL=4 >> $GITHUB_ENV
           echo CTEST_PARALLEL_LEVEL=4 >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          echo CI_OS_NAME=linux >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo CI_OS_NAME=$(uname -s) >> $GITHUB_ENV
         shell: bash
 
       - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -430,8 +430,8 @@ jobs:
           BUILD_MODE: ${{ matrix.config.build_mode }}
           CCACHE_BASEDIR: ${{runner.workspace}}/nrn
           CCACHE_DIR: ${{runner.workspace}}/ccache
-          NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC : ${{ matrix.config.python_dynamic }}
-          NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC: ${{ matrix.config.music }}
+          NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC : ${{ matrix.config.python_dynamic || 'OFF' }}
+          NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC: ${{ matrix.config.music || 'OFF' }}
           PYTHON_MIN_NAME: "python${{ env.PY_MIN_VERSION }}"
           PYTHON_MAX_NAME: "python${{ env.PY_MAX_VERSION }}"
           INSTALL_DIR : ${{ runner.workspace }}/install
diff --git a/azure-pipelines.yml b/azure-pipelines.yml
index a081844ac0..cd6148ed08 100644
--- a/azure-pipelines.yml
+++ b/azure-pipelines.yml
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ stages:
             -e SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION \
             -e NRN_BUILD_FOR_UPLOAD=1 \
             'docker.io/neuronsimulator/neuron_wheel:manylinux_2_28_x86_64' \
-            packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux $(python.version) coreneuron
+            packaging/python/build_wheels.bash $(uname -s) $(python.version) coreneuron
         displayName: 'Building ManyLinux Wheel'
 
       - script: |
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ stages:
           export NRN_BUILD_FOR_UPLOAD=1
           sudo mkdir -p /opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)
           sudo tar -zxf $(readlineSF.secureFilePath) --directory /opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)
-          packaging/python/build_wheels.bash osx $(python.version) coreneuron
+          packaging/python/build_wheels.bash $(uname -s) $(python.version) coreneuron
         displayName: 'Build MacOS Wheel'
 
       - template: ci/azure-wheel-test-upload.yml
diff --git a/build_osx_wheels.sh b/build_osx_wheels.sh
index 7633361710..f5f607e870 100755
--- a/build_osx_wheels.sh
+++ b/build_osx_wheels.sh
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ fi
 
 set -e
 
-packaging/python/build_wheels.bash osx 3.9 coreneuron &>3.9-output
-packaging/python/build_wheels.bash osx 3.10 coreneuron &>3.10-output
-packaging/python/build_wheels.bash osx 3.11 coreneuron &>3.11-output
+packaging/python/build_wheels.bash "$(uname -s)" 3.9 coreneuron &>3.9-output
+packaging/python/build_wheels.bash "$(uname -s)" 3.10 coreneuron &>3.10-output
+packaging/python/build_wheels.bash "$(uname -s)" 3.11 coreneuron &>3.11-output
 
 if [ -n $INTERACTIVE_OK ]
 then
diff --git a/docs/dev/setuptools/setuptools.md b/docs/dev/setuptools/setuptools.md
index ae449e4f7e..bd9af74e1b 100644
--- a/docs/dev/setuptools/setuptools.md
+++ b/docs/dev/setuptools/setuptools.md
@@ -37,22 +37,28 @@ We use [setup.py](../../../setup.py) in two operational modes
 ## Creating a Development Python Package
 
 `setup.py` can be lanched manually as well to create a dev build package, which can be tested
-immediately. It supports several arguments to that the build can be tuned:
+immediately. It supports several environmental variables through which the build can be tuned:
 
 ```
- --disable-rx3d       Disables Rx3d. Implies CMake -DNRN_ENABLE_RX3D=OFF
- --disable-iv         Disables IV. Implies CMake -DNRN_ENABLE_INTERVIEWS=OFF
- --disable-mpi        Disables MPI. Implies -DNRN_ENABLE_MPI=OFF and disabling of neuronmusic
- --enable-music       Enables neuronmusic
- --enable-coreneuron  Enables experimental CorenNeuron support
- --rx3d-opt-level     Sets the rx3d optimization level. Default: 0 (-O0)
- --cmake-build-dir    Declares one wants to use a specic NEURON build (with CMake), instead
-                      of creating one behind the scenes. Only builds extensions and package.
+ NRN_ENABLE_RX3D       Enables RX3D.
+ NRN_ENABLE_INTERVIEWS Enables IV.
+ NRN_ENABLE_MPI        Enables MPI.
+ NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC      Enables neuronmusic
+ NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON Enables experimental CorenNeuron support
+ NRN_RX3D_OPT_LEVEL    Sets the RX3D optimization level. Default: 0 (-O0)
+```
+
+It also supports certain command-line arguments:
+
+```
+ --cmake-build-dir     Declares one wants to use a specic NEURON build (with CMake), instead
+                       of creating one behind the scenes. Only builds extensions and package.
 ```
 
 A quick build for testing a change to a core component could therefore be:
+
 ```
-python setup.py build --disable-rx3d --disable-iv --disable-mpi
+NRN_ENABLE_RX3D=OFF NRN_ENABLE_INTERVIEWS=OFF NRN_ENABLE_MPI=OFF python setup.py build
 ```
 
 ---
diff --git a/docs/install/python_wheels.md b/docs/install/python_wheels.md
index 8456174bcd..c49024eec2 100644
--- a/docs/install/python_wheels.md
+++ b/docs/install/python_wheels.md
@@ -136,18 +136,18 @@ Wheels are generated under `/root/nrn/wheelhouse` and also accessible in the mou
 
 ```
 # Working directory is /root/nrn
-bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux
+bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash Linux
 ls -la wheelhouse
 ```
 
 You can build the wheel for a specific python version:
 ```
-bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux 39    # 39 for Python v3.9
+bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash Linux 39    # 39 for Python v3.9
 ```
 
 To build wheels with CoreNEURON support you have to pass an additional argument: `coreneuron`.
 ```
-bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash linux 3* coreneuron
+bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash Linux 3* coreneuron
 ```
 Where we are passing `3*` to build the wheels with `CoreNEURON` support for all python 3 versions.
 
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ As mentioned above, for macOS all dependencies have to be available on a system.
 
 ```
 cd nrn
-bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash osx
+bash packaging/python/build_wheels.bash Darwin
 ```
 
 In some cases, setuptools-scm will see extra commits and consider your build as "dirty," resulting in filenames such as `NEURON-9.0a1.dev0+g9a96a3a4d.d20230717-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl` (which should have been `NEURON-9.0a0-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl`). If this happens, you can set an environment variable to correct this behavior:
diff --git a/packaging/python/build_wheels.bash b/packaging/python/build_wheels.bash
index 5b4d2be04c..87b8f90cd4 100755
--- a/packaging/python/build_wheels.bash
+++ b/packaging/python/build_wheels.bash
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -xe
 # A script to loop over the available pythons installed
 # on Linux/OSX and build wheels
 #
@@ -16,14 +15,16 @@ set -xe
 #  - C/C++ compiler
 #  - ncurses
 
-set -e
+set -xeu
 
 if [ ! -f setup.py ]; then
     echo "Error: setup.py not found. Please launch $0 from the nrn root dir"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-py_ver=""
+# various platform identifiers (as reported by `uname -s`)
+PLATFORM_LINUX="Linux"
+PLATFORM_MACOS="Darwin"
 
 # path to the (temp) requirements file containing all of the build dependencies
 # for NEURON and its submodules
@@ -54,41 +55,39 @@ setup_venv() {
 }
 
 
-build_wheel_linux() {
-    echo "[BUILD WHEEL] Building with interpreter $1"
-    local skip=
-    setup_venv "$1"
-    (( $skip )) && return 0
-
-    echo " - Installing build requirements"
+configure_linux() {
+    echo " - Installing build requirements for Linux"
     pip install 'auditwheel<=6.2.0'
-    cp packaging/python/build_requirements.txt "${python_requirements_path}"
-
-    CMAKE_DEFS="NRN_MPI_DYNAMIC=$3"
-    if [ "$USE_STATIC_READLINE" == "1" ]; then
-      CMAKE_DEFS="$CMAKE_DEFS,NRN_BINARY_DIST_BUILD=ON,NRN_WHEEL_STATIC_READLINE=ON"
-    fi
-
-    if [ "$2" == "coreneuron" ]; then
-        setup_args="--enable-coreneuron"
-        nmodl_add_requirements
-        CMAKE_DEFS="${CMAKE_DEFS},NRN_LINK_AGAINST_PYTHON=OFF,CORENRN_ENABLE_OPENMP=ON"
-    fi
+    CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="/nrnwheel/ncurses;/nrnwheel/readline"
+    export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH
+}
 
-    cat "${python_requirements_path}"
-    pip install -r "${python_requirements_path}"
-    pip check
+configure_macos() {
+    echo " - Installing build requirements for MacOS"
+    pip install -U 'delocate<=0.13.0,>=0.13.0'
 
-    echo " - Building..."
-    rm -rf dist build
+    # We need to "fix" the platform tag if the Python installer is universal2
+    # See:
+    #     * https://github.com/pypa/setuptools/issues/2520
+    #     * https://github.com/neuronsimulator/nrn/pull/1562
+    py_platform=$(python -c "import sysconfig; print('%s' % sysconfig.get_platform());")
 
-    # Workaround for https://github.com/pypa/manylinux/issues/1309
-    git config --global --add safe.directory "*"
+    echo " - Python platform: ${py_platform}"
+    if [[ "${py_platform}" == *"-universal2" ]]; then
+        export _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM="${py_platform/universal2/$(uname -m)}"
+        echo " - Python installation is universal2 and we are on $(uname -m), setting _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM to: ${_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM}"
+        ARCHFLAGS="-arch $(uname -m)"
+        export ARCHFLAGS
+        echo " - Setting ARCHFLAGS to: ${ARCHFLAGS}"
+    fi
 
-    python setup.py build_ext --cmake-prefix="/nrnwheel/ncurses;/nrnwheel/readline" --cmake-defs="$CMAKE_DEFS" $setup_args bdist_wheel
+    CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="/opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)/ncurses;/opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)/readline;/usr/x11"
+    export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH
+}
 
+fix_wheel_linux() {
     # For CI runs we skip wheelhouse repairs
-    if [ "$SKIP_WHEELHOUSE_REPAIR" = true ] ; then
+    if [ "${SKIP_WHEELHOUSE_REPAIR:-}" = true ] ; then
         echo " - Skipping wheelhouse repair ..."
         mkdir wheelhouse && cp dist/*.whl wheelhouse/
     else
@@ -105,18 +104,31 @@ build_wheel_linux() {
         #             ships an extra copy of libnrniv.so and hence exclude it here.
         auditwheel -v repair dist/*.whl --exclude "libgomp.so.1" --exclude "libnrniv.so"
     fi
+}
 
-    deactivate
+fix_wheel_macos() {
+    echo " - Calling delocate-listdeps"
+    delocate-listdeps dist/*.whl
+
+    echo " - Repairing..."
+    # we started clean, there's a single wheel
+    delocate-wheel -w wheelhouse -v dist/*.whl
 }
 
 
-build_wheel_osx() {
-    echo "[BUILD WHEEL] Building with interpreter $1"
+build_wheel() {
+    platform="$(uname -s)"
+    echo "[BUILD WHEEL] Building with interpreter $1 on ${platform}"
     local skip=
     setup_venv "$1"
-    (( $skip )) && return 0
+    (( skip )) && return 0
+
+    if [[ "${platform}" == "${PLATFORM_LINUX}" ]]; then
+        configure_linux
+    elif [[ "${platform}" == "${PLATFORM_MACOS}" ]]; then
+        configure_macos
+    fi
 
-    echo " - Installing build requirements"
     cp packaging/python/build_requirements.txt "${python_requirements_path}"
 
     CMAKE_DEFS="NRN_MPI_DYNAMIC=$3"
@@ -125,71 +137,42 @@ build_wheel_osx() {
     fi
 
     if [ "$2" == "coreneuron" ]; then
-        setup_args="--enable-coreneuron"
+        NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON=ON
         nmodl_add_requirements
         CMAKE_DEFS="${CMAKE_DEFS},NRN_LINK_AGAINST_PYTHON=OFF"
+        if [[ "${platform}" == "${PLATFORM_LINUX}" ]]; then
+            CMAKE_DEFS="${CMAKE_DEFS},CORENRN_ENABLE_OPENMP=ON"
+        fi
+    else
+        NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON=OFF
     fi
+    export NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON
 
     cat "${python_requirements_path}"
-    pip install -U 'delocate<=0.13.0' -r "${python_requirements_path}"
+    pip install -r "${python_requirements_path}"
     pip check
 
     echo " - Building..."
     rm -rf dist build
 
-    # We need to "fix" the platform tag if the Python installer is universal2
-    # See:
-    #     * https://github.com/pypa/setuptools/issues/2520
-    #     * https://github.com/neuronsimulator/nrn/pull/1562
-    py_platform=$(python -c "import sysconfig; print('%s' % sysconfig.get_platform());")
-
-    echo " - Python platform: ${py_platform}"
-    if [[ "${py_platform}" == *"-universal2" ]]; then
-      if [[ `uname -m` == 'arm64' ]]; then
-        export _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM="${py_platform/universal2/arm64}"
-        echo " - Python installation is universal2 and we are on arm64, setting _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM to: ${_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM}"
-        export ARCHFLAGS="-arch arm64"
-        echo " - Setting ARCHFLAGS to: ${ARCHFLAGS}"
-        # This is a shortcut to have a successful delocate-wheel. See:
-        # https://github.com/matthew-brett/delocate/issues/153
-        python -c "import os,delocate; print(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(delocate.__file__), 'tools.py'));quit()"  | xargs -I{} sed -i."" "s/first, /input.pop('i386',None); first, /g" {}
-      else
-        export _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM="${py_platform/universal2/x86_64}"
-        echo " - Python installation is universal2 and we are on x84_64, setting _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM to: ${_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM}"
-        export ARCHFLAGS="-arch x86_64"
-        echo " - Setting ARCHFLAGS to: ${ARCHFLAGS}"
-      fi
-    fi
-
-    python setup.py build_ext --cmake-prefix="/opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)/ncurses;/opt/nrnwheel/$(uname -m)/readline;/usr/x11" --cmake-defs="$CMAKE_DEFS" $setup_args bdist_wheel
+    # Workaround for https://github.com/pypa/manylinux/issues/1309
+    git config --global --add safe.directory "*"
 
-    echo " - Calling delocate-listdeps"
-    delocate-listdeps dist/*.whl
+    python setup.py build_ext --cmake-defs="$CMAKE_DEFS" bdist_wheel
 
-    echo " - Repairing..."
-    delocate-wheel -w wheelhouse -v dist/*.whl  # we started clean, there's a single wheel
+    if [[ "${platform}" == "${PLATFORM_LINUX}" ]]; then
+        fix_wheel_linux
+    elif [[ "${platform}" == "${PLATFORM_MACOS}" ]]; then
+        fix_wheel_macos
+    fi
 
     deactivate
 }
 
-# platform for which wheel to be build
-platform=$1
-
-# python version for which wheel to be built; 3* (default) means all python 3 versions
-python_wheel_version=
-if [ ! -z "$2" ]; then
-  python_wheel_version=$2
-fi
-
-# enable coreneuron support: "coreneuron"
-# this should be removed/improved once wheel is stable
-coreneuron=$3
-
-# MAIN
 
-case "$1" in
-
-  linux)
+set_mpi_headers_linux() {
+    # first two are for AlmaLinux 8 (default for manylinux_2_28);
+    # second two are for Debian/Ubuntu derivatives
     MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS="/usr/include/openmpi-$(uname -m) /usr/include/mpich-$(uname -m) /usr/lib/$(uname -m)-linux-gnu/openmpi/include /usr/include/$(uname -m)-linux-gnu/mpich"
     MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS=""
     for dir in $MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS
@@ -204,45 +187,77 @@ case "$1" in
     if [ -d "$MPT_INCLUDE_PATH" ]; then
         MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS};${MPT_INCLUDE_PATH}"
     fi
+
+    export MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS
+}
+
+set_mpi_headers_macos() {
+    BREW_PREFIX="$(brew --prefix)"
+    MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/openmpi/include ${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/mpich/include"
+    MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS=""
+    for dir in $MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS
+    do
+        if [ -d "${dir}" ]; then
+            MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS};${dir}"
+        fi
+    done
+    export MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS
+}
+
+
+# platform for which to build the wheel (default: host machine platform)
+# supported values: Linux, Darwin, CI
+platform=
+if [ $# -ge 1 ]; then
+    platform=$1
+fi
+
+# python version for which wheel to be built; 3* (default) means all python 3 versions
+python_wheel_version=
+if [ $# -ge 2 ]; then
+    python_wheel_version=$2
+fi
+
+# enable coreneuron support: "coreneuron" enables support (default: without coreneuron)
+# this should be removed/improved once wheel is stable
+coreneuron="${3:-}"
+
+# MAIN
+
+case "${platform}" in
+
+  Linux)
+    set_mpi_headers_linux
     USE_STATIC_READLINE=1
     python_wheel_version=${python_wheel_version//[-._]/}
     for py_bin in /opt/python/cp${python_wheel_version}*/bin/python; do
-        build_wheel_linux "$py_bin" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
+        build_wheel "$py_bin" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
     done
     ;;
 
-  osx)
-    BREW_PREFIX=$(brew --prefix)
-    MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/openmpi/include;${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/mpich/include"
+  Darwin)
+    set_mpi_headers_macos
     USE_STATIC_READLINE=1
     for py_bin in /Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/${python_wheel_version}*/bin/python3; do
-        build_wheel_osx "$py_bin" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
+        build_wheel "$py_bin" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
     done
     ;;
 
   CI)
-    if [ "$CI_OS_NAME" == "osx" ]; then
-        BREW_PREFIX=$(brew --prefix)
-        MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/openmpi/include;${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/mpich/include"
-        build_wheel_osx $(which python3) "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
-    else
-        # first two are for AlmaLinux 8 (default for manylinux_2_28);
-        # second two are for Debian/Ubuntu derivatives
-        MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS="/usr/include/openmpi-$(uname -m) /usr/include/mpich-$(uname -m) /usr/lib/$(uname -m)-linux-gnu/openmpi/include /usr/include/$(uname -m)-linux-gnu/mpich"
-        MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS=""
-        for dir in $MPI_POSSIBLE_INCLUDE_HEADERS
-        do
-            if [ -d "${dir}" ]; then
-                MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS="${MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS};${dir}"
-            fi
-        done
-        build_wheel_linux $(which python3) "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
+    if [ "$CI_OS_NAME" == "${PLATFORM_MACOS}" ]; then
+        set_mpi_headers_macos
+        USE_STATIC_READLINE=0
+        build_wheel "$(which python3)" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
+    elif [ "$CI_OS_NAME" == "${PLATFORM_LINUX}" ]; then
+        set_mpi_headers_linux
+        USE_STATIC_READLINE=0
+        build_wheel "$(which python3)" "$coreneuron" "$MPI_INCLUDE_HEADERS"
     fi
     ls wheelhouse/
     ;;
 
   *)
-    echo "Usage: $(basename $0) < linux | osx > [python version 36|37|38|39|3*]  [coreneuron]"
+    echo "Usage: $(basename "$0") < ${PLATFORM_LINUX} | ${PLATFORM_MACOS} > [python version 36|37|38|39|3*] [coreneuron]"
     exit 1
     ;;
 
diff --git a/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh b/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
index 9e8dffd95b..8d20a5e35d 100755
--- a/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
+++ b/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ run_parallel_test() {
       run_mpi_test "${BREW_PREFIX}/opt/open-mpi/bin/mpirun" "OpenMPI" ""
 
     # CI Linux or Azure Linux or circleCI build (all on Debian/Ubuntu)
-    elif [[ "$CI_OS_NAME" == "linux" || "$AGENT_OS" == "Linux" || "$CIRCLECI" == "true" ]]; then
+    elif [[ "$CI_OS_NAME" == "Linux" || "$AGENT_OS" == "Linux" || "$CIRCLECI" == "true" ]]; then
       # make debugging easier
       sudo update-alternatives --get-selections | grep mpi
       sudo update-alternatives --list mpi-${ARCH_DIR}-linux-gnu
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d83b9974a2..150d5b2199 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,16 +14,34 @@
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
-
 logging.info("setup.py called with:" + " ".join(sys.argv))
 
 
+def strtobool(val: str) -> bool:
+    """
+    Convert a string representation of truth to True or False.
+
+    True values are 'y', 'yes', 't', 'true', 'on', and '1'; false values
+    are 'n', 'no', 'f', 'false', 'off', and '0'.  Raises ValueError if
+    'val' is anything else.
+    """
+    val = val.lower()
+    if val in ("y", "yes", "t", "true", "on", "1"):
+        return True
+    if val in ("n", "no", "f", "false", "off", "0"):
+        return False
+
+    raise ValueError(f"invalid truth value {val}")
+
+
 class Components:
-    RX3D = True
-    IV = True
-    MPI = True
-    MUSIC = False  # still early support
-    CORENRN = False  # still early support
+    RX3D = strtobool(os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_RX3D", "ON"))
+    IV = strtobool(os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_INTERVIEWS", "ON"))
+    MPI = strtobool(os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_MPI", "ON"))
+    MUSIC = strtobool(os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC", "OFF"))  # still early support
+    CORENRN = strtobool(
+        os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON", "OFF")
+    )  # still early support
 
 
 # Check if we've got --cmake-build-dir path that will be used to build extensions only
@@ -65,41 +83,14 @@ class Components:
     just_extensions = True
 
 # Check for RX3D Optimization Level
-rx3d_opt_level = "-O0"
-if "--rx3d-opt-level" in sys.argv:
-    rx3d_opt_level_arg = sys.argv[sys.argv.index("--rx3d-opt-level") + 1]
-    rx3d_opt_level = "-O{}".format(int(rx3d_opt_level_arg))
-    sys.argv.remove("--rx3d-opt-level")
-    sys.argv.remove(rx3d_opt_level_arg)
+rx3d_opt_level = os.getenv("NRN_RX3D_OPT_LEVEL", "0")
 
 # If NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC is ON, we will build the wheel without the nrnpython library
-without_nrnpython = False
-if "--without-nrnpython" in sys.argv:
-    without_nrnpython = True
-    sys.argv.remove("--without-nrnpython")
+without_nrnpython = strtobool(
+    os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_MODULE_INSTALL", "OFF")
+) and not strtobool(os.getenv("NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC", "OFF"))
 
 # setup options must be checked for very early as it impacts imports
-if "--disable-rx3d" in sys.argv:
-    Components.RX3D = False
-    sys.argv.remove("--disable-rx3d")
-
-if "--disable-iv" in sys.argv:
-    Components.IV = False
-    sys.argv.remove("--disable-iv")
-
-if "--disable-mpi" in sys.argv:
-    Components.MPI = False
-    Components.MUSIC = False
-    sys.argv.remove("--disable-mpi")
-
-if "--enable-coreneuron" in sys.argv:
-    Components.CORENRN = True
-    sys.argv.remove("--enable-coreneuron")
-
-if "--enable-music" in sys.argv:
-    Components.MUSIC = True
-    sys.argv.remove("--enable-music")
-
 if Components.RX3D:
     try:
         from Cython.Distutils import Extension as CyExtension
@@ -162,14 +153,13 @@ class CMakeAugmentedBuilder(build_ext):
     """Builder which understands CMakeAugmentedExtension"""
 
     user_options = build_ext.user_options + [
-        ("cmake-prefix=", None, "value for CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH"),
         ("cmake-defs=", None, "Additional CMake definitions, comma split"),
     ]
     boolean_options = build_ext.boolean_options + ["docs"]
 
     def initialize_options(self):
         build_ext.initialize_options(self)
-        self.cmake_prefix = None
+        self.cmake_prefix = os.getenv("CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH", "")
         self.cmake_defs = None
         self.docs = False
 
@@ -401,7 +391,7 @@ def setup_package():
         libraries=ext_common_libraries,
     )
 
-    logging.info("Extension common compile flags %s" % str(extension_common_params))
+    logging.info("Extension common compile flags %s", extension_common_params)
 
     # Get extra_compile_args and  extra_link_args from environment variable
     extra_link_args = os.environ.get("LDFLAGS", "").split()
@@ -474,7 +464,11 @@ def setup_package():
                 # Cython files take a long time to compile with O2 but this
                 # is a distribution...
                 extra_compile_args=extra_compile_args
-                + ["-O2" if "NRN_BUILD_FOR_UPLOAD" in os.environ else rx3d_opt_level],
+                + [
+                    "-O2"
+                    if "NRN_BUILD_FOR_UPLOAD" in os.environ
+                    else f"-O{rx3d_opt_level}"
+                ],
                 extra_link_args=extra_link_args
                 + ["-Wl,-rpath,{}".format(REL_RPATH + "/../../.data/lib/")],
             )
@@ -482,7 +476,7 @@ def setup_package():
         if platform.system() == "Darwin":
             rxd_params["extra_link_args"] += ["-headerpad_max_install_names"]
 
-        logging.info("RX3D compile flags %s" % str(rxd_params))
+        logging.info("RX3D compile flags %s", rxd_params)
 
         rxd_extensions = [
             CyExtension(
diff --git a/src/nrnpython/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nrnpython/CMakeLists.txt
index f0a04d49c9..9220c1f66d 100644
--- a/src/nrnpython/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/nrnpython/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -171,21 +171,23 @@ if(NRN_ENABLE_MODULE_INSTALL)
   # Prepare build options for setup.py build
   set(NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--cmake-build-dir")
   list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
-  if(NOT NRN_ENABLE_RX3D)
-    list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--disable-rx3d")
-  else()
-    list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--rx3d-opt-level" ${NRN_RX3D_OPT_LEVEL})
-  endif()
   if(MINGW)
     list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--compiler=mingw32")
   endif()
-  if(NOT NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC)
-    list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--without-nrnpython")
-  endif()
-  if(NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC)
-    list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--enable-music")
-  endif()
   list(APPEND NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_OPTIONS "--build-lib=${NRN_PYTHON_BUILD_LIB}")
+  set(setup_py_env_vars
+      NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON_DYNAMIC
+      NRN_ENABLE_MODULE_INSTALL
+      NRN_RX3D_OPT_LEVEL
+      NRN_ENABLE_RX3D
+      NRN_ENABLE_INTERVIEWS
+      NRN_ENABLE_MPI
+      NRN_ENABLE_MUSIC
+      NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON)
+
+  foreach(var IN LISTS setup_py_env_vars)
+    list(APPEND extra_env "${var}=${${var}}")
+  endforeach()
 
   # Prepare build_ext options for setup.py build
   set(NRN_SETUP_PY_BUILD_EXT_OPTIONS "build_ext")