diff --git a/cmake/optional.cmake b/cmake/optional.cmake
index a4c247d39f..730e510c07 100644
--- a/cmake/optional.cmake
+++ b/cmake/optional.cmake
@@ -325,36 +325,48 @@ else()
 endif()
 
 # Check for HDF5 libraries
-find_package(HDF5 QUIET COMPONENTS C)
-if(HDF5_FOUND)
-  include_directories(${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIR})  # for older versions of cmake
-  include_directories(${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS}) # for newer cmake
-  message("-- Found HDF5 version: ${HDF5_VERSION}")
-  if (HDF5_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 1.12 OR HDF5_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL 1.12)
-      message("   Enforcing API macro mapping to HDF5 version 1.10.")
-      set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DH5_USE_110_API")
-      set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -DH5_USE_110_API")
-  endif()
-  message("   Found HDF5 libraries: ${HDF5_LIBRARIES}")
-  if(VERBOSE)
-    message(STATUS ${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIR})
+option(WITH_HDF5 "Compile with HDF5 enabled" ON)
+if(WITH_HDF5)
+  find_package(HDF5 QUIET COMPONENTS C)
+  if(HDF5_FOUND)
+    include_directories(${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIR})  # for older versions of cmake
+    include_directories(${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS}) # for newer cmake
+    message("-- Found HDF5 version: ${HDF5_VERSION}")
+    if (HDF5_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 1.12 OR HDF5_VERSION VERSION_EQUAL 1.12)
+        message("   Enforcing API macro mapping to HDF5 version 1.10.")
+        set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -DH5_USE_110_API")
+        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -DH5_USE_110_API")
+    endif()
+    message("   Found HDF5 libraries: ${HDF5_LIBRARIES}")
+    if(VERBOSE)
+      message(STATUS ${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIR})
+    endif()
+  else()
+    message("${BoldCyan} X No HDF5 C libraries found. Excluding hdf5printer and hdf5reader from GAMBIT configuration.${ColourReset}")
+    set(itch "${itch}" "hdf5printer" "hdf5reader")
   endif()
 else()
-  message("${BoldCyan} X No HDF5 C libraries found. Excluding hdf5printer and hdf5reader from GAMBIT configuration.${ColourReset}")
+  message("${BoldCyan} X HDF5 is disabled. Excluding hdf5printer and hdf5reader from GAMBIT configuration. Use -DWITH_MPI=ON to enable HDF5. ${ColourReset}")
   set(itch "${itch}" "hdf5printer" "hdf5reader")
 endif()
 
 # Check for SQLite libraries
-find_package(SQLite3 QUIET COMPONENTS C)
-if(SQLite3_FOUND)
-  include_directories(${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-  message("-- Found SQLite3 libraries: ${SQLite3_LIBRARIES}")
-  if(VERBOSE)
-      message(STATUS ${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+option(WITH_SQLite3 "Compile with SQLite3 enabled" ON)
+if(WITH_SQLite3)
+  find_package(SQLite3 QUIET COMPONENTS C)
+  if(SQLite3_FOUND)
+    include_directories(${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    message("-- Found SQLite3 libraries: ${SQLite3_LIBRARIES}")
+    if(VERBOSE)
+        message(STATUS ${SQLite3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    endif()
+  else()
+    message("${BoldCyan} X No SQLite C libraries found. Excluding sqliteprinter and sqlitereader from GAMBIT configuration.${ColourReset}")
+    message("   Backends depending on SQLite3 (e.g. Contur) will be deactivated.")
+    set(itch "${itch}" "sqliteprinter" "sqlitereader")
   endif()
 else()
-  message("${BoldCyan} X No SQLite C libraries found. Excluding sqliteprinter and sqlitereader from GAMBIT configuration.${ColourReset}")
-  message("   Backends depending on SQLite3 (e.g. Contur) will be deactivated.")
+  message("${BoldCyan} X SQLite3 is disabled. Excluding sqliteprinter and sqlitereader from GAMBIT configuration. Use -DWITH_SQLite3=ON to enable SQLite3. ${ColourReset}")
   set(itch "${itch}" "sqliteprinter" "sqlitereader")
 endif()