diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 948430d6bf..3c2e4f73ac 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ add_subdirectory(aux)
 
 set(arbor_export_dependencies)
 
+# Keep track of which 'components' of arbor are included (this is
+# currently just captures MPI support)
+
+set(arbor_supported_components)
+
 # Target microarchitecture for building arbor libraries, tests and examples
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 if(ARB_ARCH)
@@ -152,7 +157,7 @@ find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 find_threads_cuda_fix()
 target_link_libraries(arbor-private-deps INTERFACE Threads::Threads)
 
-list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "Threads\;REQUIRED")
+list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "Threads")
 
 # MPI support
 #-------------------
@@ -173,7 +178,8 @@ if(ARB_WITH_MPI)
     target_link_libraries(arbor-public-deps INTERFACE mpi-wrap)
     install(TARGETS mpi-wrap EXPORT arbor-targets)
 
-    list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "MPI\;REQUIRED\;CXX")
+    list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "MPI\;COMPONENTS\;CXX")
+    list(APPEND arbor_supported_components "MPI")
 endif()
 
 # CUDA support
@@ -202,7 +208,7 @@ if(Unwind_FOUND)
     target_link_libraries(arbor-private-deps INTERFACE Unwind::unwind)
     target_compile_definitions(arbor-private-deps ARB_WITH_UNWIND)
 
-    list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "Unwind\;REQUIRED")
+    list(APPEND arbor_export_dependencies "Unwind")
 endif()
 
 # Build and use modcc unless explicit path given
@@ -313,7 +319,8 @@ write_basic_package_version_file(
     COMPATIBILITY SameMajorVersion)
 
 # Template file will use contents of arbor_export_dependencies to include the
-# required `find_dependency` statements. 
+# required `find_dependency` statements, and arbor_supported_components will
+# be used to check feature support.
 
 configure_file(
     cmake/arbor-config.cmake.in
diff --git a/cmake/arbor-config.cmake.in b/cmake/arbor-config.cmake.in
index 703e700582..71448ec5de 100644
--- a/cmake/arbor-config.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/arbor-config.cmake.in
@@ -6,4 +6,12 @@ endforeach()
 
 include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/arbor-targets.cmake")
 
+set(_supported_components @arbor_supported_components@)
+
+foreach(component ${arbor_FIND_COMPONENTS})
+    if(NOT "${component}" IN_LIST _supported_components)
+        set(arbor_FOUND FALSE)
+        set(arbor_NOT_FOUND_MESSAGE "Unsupported component: ${component}")
+    endif()
+endforeach()
 
diff --git a/example/CMakeLists.txt b/example/CMakeLists.txt
index 04797c1312..9cfab47efa 100644
--- a/example/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# Convenience target that builds all examples.
+# Example executable targets should be added to the 'examples' target as dependencies.
+add_custom_target(examples DEPENDS)
+
 add_subdirectory(miniapp)
 add_subdirectory(dryrun)
 add_subdirectory(generators)
diff --git a/example/bench/CMakeLists.txt b/example/bench/CMakeLists.txt
index 8814dd310a..df585f1149 100644
--- a/example/bench/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/bench/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-add_executable(bench bench.cpp recipe.cpp parameters.cpp)
+add_executable(bench EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL bench.cpp recipe.cpp parameters.cpp)
+add_dependencies(examples bench)
 
 target_link_libraries(bench PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-tclap ext-json)
diff --git a/example/brunel/CMakeLists.txt b/example/brunel/CMakeLists.txt
index 657ec23f89..7614c809b1 100644
--- a/example/brunel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/brunel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-add_executable(brunel-miniapp
+add_executable(brunel-miniapp EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL
     brunel_miniapp.cpp
     io.cpp)
+add_dependencies(examples brunel-miniapp)
 
 target_link_libraries(brunel-miniapp PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-tclap)
diff --git a/example/dryrun/CMakeLists.txt b/example/dryrun/CMakeLists.txt
index f44d6ca72e..45a0745a3a 100644
--- a/example/dryrun/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/dryrun/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-add_executable(dryrun dryrun.cpp)
+add_executable(dryrun EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL dryrun.cpp)
+add_dependencies(examples dryrun)
 
 target_link_libraries(dryrun PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-json)
diff --git a/example/generators/CMakeLists.txt b/example/generators/CMakeLists.txt
index bc2a70b58e..df77485837 100644
--- a/example/generators/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/generators/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-add_executable(event-gen event_gen.cpp)
+add_executable(event-gen EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL event_gen.cpp)
+add_dependencies(examples event-gen)
 
 target_link_libraries(event-gen PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-json)
diff --git a/example/miniapp/CMakeLists.txt b/example/miniapp/CMakeLists.txt
index 84480623b6..8d04d959c7 100644
--- a/example/miniapp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/miniapp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-add_executable(miniapp
+add_executable(miniapp EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL
     miniapp.cpp
     io.cpp
     miniapp_recipes.cpp
     morphology_pool.cpp
     trace.cpp
 )
+add_dependencies(examples miniapp)
 
 target_link_libraries(miniapp PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-tclap ext-json)
diff --git a/example/ring/CMakeLists.txt b/example/ring/CMakeLists.txt
index 2fd6c79f86..dc8ff64904 100644
--- a/example/ring/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/example/ring/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-add_executable(ring ring.cpp)
+add_executable(ring EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ring.cpp)
+add_dependencies(examples ring)
 
 target_link_libraries(ring PRIVATE arbor arbor-aux ext-tclap ext-json)
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 85efd242ec..ef725caab6 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,21 +1,30 @@
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 find_threads_cuda_fix()
 
-add_library(gtest STATIC gtest-all.cpp)
+add_library(gtest EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL STATIC gtest-all.cpp)
 target_include_directories(gtest PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 target_link_libraries(gtest PUBLIC Threads::Threads)
 
+# Convenience target that builds all tests.
+# Test executable targets should be added to the 'tests' target as dependencies.
+add_custom_target(tests)
+
 # Unit tests.
+# Builds: unit.
 add_subdirectory(unit)
 
-# Test validating models, possebly needing other software installed.
+# Model validation.
+# Builds: validate.
 add_subdirectory(validation)
 
 # Test MPI wrappers and distribution operations.
+# Builds: unit-local and unit-mpi (if MPI enabled).
 add_subdirectory(unit-distributed)
 
 # Test modcc internals.
+# Builds: unit-modcc.
 add_subdirectory(unit-modcc)
 
-## Microbenchmarks.
+# Microbenchmarks.
+# Builds: one executable per microbenchmark under ubench/.
 add_subdirectory(ubench)
diff --git a/test/ubench/CMakeLists.txt b/test/ubench/CMakeLists.txt
index a0fb004073..21e67ca9f4 100644
--- a/test/ubench/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/ubench/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ endif()
 foreach(bench_src ${bench_sources})
     string(REGEX REPLACE "\\.[^.]*$" "" bench_exe ${bench_src})
     add_executable(${bench_exe} EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL "${bench_src}")
+
     target_link_libraries(${bench_exe} arbor arbor-private-headers ext-benchmark)
     target_compile_options(${bench_exe} PRIVATE ${ARB_CXXOPT_ARCH})
     list(APPEND bench_exe_list ${bench_exe})
diff --git a/test/ubench/mech_vec.cpp b/test/ubench/mech_vec.cpp
index 32e596974c..8c0388b856 100644
--- a/test/ubench/mech_vec.cpp
+++ b/test/ubench/mech_vec.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "backends/multicore/fvm.hpp"
 #include "benchmark/benchmark.h"
+#include "execution_context.hpp"
 #include "fvm_lowered_cell_impl.hpp"
 
 using namespace arb;
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ void expsyn_1_branch_current(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_expsyn_1_branch, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("expsyn", cell);
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ void expsyn_1_branch_state(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_expsyn_1_branch, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("expsyn", cell);
@@ -245,7 +246,7 @@ void pas_1_branch_current(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_pas_1_branch, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("pas", cell);
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ void pas_3_branches_current(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_pas_3_branches, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("pas", cell);
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ void hh_1_branch_state(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_hh_1_branch, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("hh", cell);
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ void hh_1_branch_current(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_hh_1_branch, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("hh", cell);
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ void hh_3_branches_state(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_hh_3_branches, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("hh", cell);
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ void hh_3_branches_current(benchmark::State& state) {
     std::vector<target_handle> target_handles;
     probe_association_map<probe_handle> probe_handles;
 
-    fvm_cell cell;
+    fvm_cell cell((execution_context()));
     cell.initialize(gids, rec_hh_3_branches, target_handles, probe_handles);
 
     auto& m = find_mechanism("hh", cell);
diff --git a/test/unit-distributed/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit-distributed/CMakeLists.txt
index fa7d15f98b..a7c60af280 100644
--- a/test/unit-distributed/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit-distributed/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@ set(unit-distributed_sources
     test.cpp
 )
 
-add_executable(unit-local ${unit-distributed_sources})
+add_executable(unit-local EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${unit-distributed_sources})
+add_dependencies(tests unit-local)
+
 target_compile_options(unit-local PRIVATE ${ARB_CXXOPT_ARCH})
 target_compile_definitions(unit-local PRIVATE TEST_LOCAL)
 target_link_libraries(unit-local PRIVATE gtest arbor arbor-aux arbor-private-headers)
 
 if(ARB_WITH_MPI)
-    add_executable(unit-mpi ${unit-distributed_sources})
+    add_executable(unit-mpi EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${unit-distributed_sources})
+    add_dependencies(tests unit-mpi)
+
     target_compile_options(unit-mpi PRIVATE ${ARB_CXXOPT_ARCH})
     target_compile_definitions(unit-mpi PRIVATE TEST_MPI)
     target_link_libraries(unit-mpi PRIVATE gtest arbor arbor-aux arbor-private-headers)
diff --git a/test/unit-modcc/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit-modcc/CMakeLists.txt
index 813f4a9116..813c03ff32 100644
--- a/test/unit-modcc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit-modcc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ set(unit-modcc_sources
     expr_expand.cpp
 )
 
-add_executable(unit-modcc ${unit-modcc_sources})
+add_executable(unit-modcc EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${unit-modcc_sources})
+if(NOT ARB_WITH_EXTERNAL_MODCC)
+    add_dependencies(tests unit-modcc)
+endif()
+
 target_link_libraries(unit-modcc PRIVATE libmodcc gtest)
 target_compile_definitions(unit-modcc PRIVATE "DATADIR=\"${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}\"")
-set_target_properties(unit-modcc PROPERTIES EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${ARB_WITH_EXTERNAL_MODCC})
diff --git a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 4cacc7cf9e..103095c22e 100644
--- a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -138,8 +138,10 @@ if(ARB_WITH_CUDA)
     )
 endif()
 
-add_executable(unit ${unit_sources} ${test_mech_sources})
+add_executable(unit EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${unit_sources} ${test_mech_sources})
 add_dependencies(unit build_test_mods)
+add_dependencies(tests unit)
+
 target_compile_options(unit PRIVATE ${ARB_CXXOPT_ARCH})
 target_compile_definitions(unit PRIVATE "-DDATADIR=\"${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/swc\"")
 target_include_directories(unit PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
diff --git a/test/validation/CMakeLists.txt b/test/validation/CMakeLists.txt
index 6257a38dcc..9e975a67bb 100644
--- a/test/validation/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/validation/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ set(validation_sources
     validate.cpp
 )
 
-add_executable(validate ${validation_sources})
+add_executable(validate EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${validation_sources})
+add_dependencies(tests validate)
+
 target_compile_options(validate PRIVATE ${ARB_CXXOPT_ARCH})
 target_compile_definitions(validate PRIVATE "ARB_DATADIR=\"${ARB_VALIDATION_DATA_DIR}\"")
 target_link_libraries(validate PRIVATE gtest arbor arbor-aux ext-json)