diff --git a/cmake/modules/cpp-httplib.cmake b/cmake/modules/cpp-httplib.cmake
index ec588d6d..35f3a436 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/cpp-httplib.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/cpp-httplib.cmake
@@ -15,19 +15,32 @@
 #
 # cpp-httplib (https://github.com/yhirose/cpp-httplib)
 #
+
+option(USE_BUNDLED_CPPHTTPLIB "Enable building of the bundled cpp-httplib" ON)
+
 if(CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE)
-	# we already have cpp-httplib
+    # we already have cpp-httplib
+elseif(NOT USE_BUNDLED_CPPHTTPLIB)
+    find_path(CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE NAMES httplib.h)
+
+    if(CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE)
+        message(STATUS "Found cpp-httplib: include: ${CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE}")
+    else()
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find system cpp-httplib")
+    endif()
 else()
-	set(CPPHTTPLIB_SRC "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cpp-httplib-prefix/src/cpp-httplib")
-	set(CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE "${CPPHTTPLIB_SRC}")
+    set(CPPHTTPLIB_SRC "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cpp-httplib-prefix/src/cpp-httplib")
+    set(CPPHTTPLIB_INCLUDE "${CPPHTTPLIB_SRC}")
 
-	message(STATUS "Using bundled cpp-httplib in '${CPPHTTPLIB_SRC}'")
-
-	ExternalProject_Add(cpp-httplib
-		PREFIX "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cpp-httplib-prefix"
-		URL "https://github.com/yhirose/cpp-httplib/archive/refs/tags/v0.13.1.tar.gz"
-		URL_HASH "SHA256=9b837d290b61e3f0c4239da0b23bbf14c382922e2bf2a9bac21c1e3feabe1ff9"
-		CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
-		BUILD_COMMAND ""
-		INSTALL_COMMAND "")	
+    ExternalProject_Add(cpp-httplib
+        PREFIX "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cpp-httplib-prefix"
+        URL "https://github.com/yhirose/cpp-httplib/archive/refs/tags/v0.13.1.tar.gz"
+        URL_HASH "SHA256=9b837d290b61e3f0c4239da0b23bbf14c382922e2bf2a9bac21c1e3feabe1ff9"
+        CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
+        BUILD_COMMAND ""
+        INSTALL_COMMAND "")	
 endif()
+
+if(NOT TARGET cpp-httplib)
+	add_custom_target(cpp-httplib)
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cmake/modules/cxxopts.cmake b/cmake/modules/cxxopts.cmake
index c371d044..4c662bd0 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/cxxopts.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/cxxopts.cmake
@@ -12,13 +12,37 @@
 # specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
 #
 
-set(CXXOPTS_SRC "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cxxopts-prefix/src/cxxopts/")
-set(CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR "${CXXOPTS_SRC}/include")
+#
+# cxxopts (https://github.com/jarro2783/cxxopts)
+#
 
-ExternalProject_Add(
+option(USE_BUNDLED_CXXOPTS "Enable building of the bundled cxxopts" ON)
+
+if(CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR)
+    # we already have cxxopts
+elseif(NOT USE_BUNDLED_CXXOPTS)
+    find_path(CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR NAMES cxxopts.hpp)
+
+    if(CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR)
+        message(STATUS "Found cxxopts: include: ${CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+    else()
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Couldn't find system cxxopts")
+    endif()
+else()
+    set(CXXOPTS_SRC "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/cxxopts-prefix/src/cxxopts/")
+    set(CXXOPTS_INCLUDE_DIR "${CXXOPTS_SRC}/include")
+
+    message(STATUS "Using bundled cxxopts in ${CXXOPTS_SRC}")
+
+    ExternalProject_Add(
         cxxopts
         URL "https://github.com/jarro2783/cxxopts/archive/refs/tags/v3.0.0.tar.gz"
         URL_HASH "SHA256=36f41fa2a46b3c1466613b63f3fa73dc24d912bc90d667147f1e43215a8c6d00"
-	CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
-	BUILD_COMMAND ""
-	INSTALL_COMMAND "")
+        CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
+        BUILD_COMMAND ""
+        INSTALL_COMMAND "")
+endif()
+
+if(NOT TARGET cxxopts)
+	add_custom_target(cxxopts)
+endif()