diff --git a/src/addon/ESMX/Driver/CMakeLists.txt b/src/addon/ESMX/Driver/CMakeLists.txt
index 9bda54e302..ab75e98d17 100644
--- a/src/addon/ESMX/Driver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/addon/ESMX/Driver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.22)
 
 # load packages and modules
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake)
+set(Python_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES "FIRST")
+set(Python_FIND_FRAMEWORK "LAST")
+set(Python_FIND_REGISTRY  "LAST")
 find_package(Python 3.5 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 find_package(ESMF 8.6.0 MODULE REQUIRED)
 include(FetchContent)
diff --git a/src/apps/ESMX_Builder/ESMX_Builder.sh b/src/apps/ESMX_Builder/ESMX_Builder.sh
index c5d239deb8..5b7bdfd7b0 100755
--- a/src/apps/ESMX_Builder/ESMX_Builder.sh
+++ b/src/apps/ESMX_Builder/ESMX_Builder.sh
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ usage () {
   printf "  -g\n"
   printf "      set --build-type=debug\n"
   printf "  --build-args=BUILD_ARGS\n"
-  printf "      cmake arguments (e.g. -DARG=VAL)\n"
+  printf "      ESMX build arguments (e.g. --build-args=\"-DFOO=BAR\")\n"
+  printf "  --cmake-args=CMAKE_ARGS\n"
+  printf "      cmake arguments (e.g. --cmake-args=\"-DFOO=BAR\")\n"
   printf "  --disable-comps=DISABLE_COMPS\n"
   printf "      disable components\n"
   printf "  --build-jobs=BUILD_JOBS\n"
@@ -63,6 +65,12 @@ settings () {
   printf "  INSTALL_PREFIX=${INSTALL_PREFIX}\n"
   printf "  BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE}\n"
   printf "  BUILD_ARGS=${BUILD_ARGS}\n"
+  printf "  CMAKE_ARGS=\n"
+  if [ ${#CMAKE_ARGS[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+    for arg in "${CMAKE_ARGS[@]}"; do
+      printf "    ${arg}\n"
+    done
+  fi
   printf "  DISABLE_COMPS=${DISABLE_COMPS}\n"
   printf "  BUILD_JOBS=${BUILD_JOBS}\n"
   printf "  MODULEFILE=${MODULEFILE}\n"
@@ -80,6 +88,7 @@ BUILD_FILE="esmxBuild.yaml"
 ESMF_ESMXDIR=""
 BUILD_TYPE="release"
 BUILD_ARGS=""
+CMAKE_ARGS=()
 DISABLE_COMPS=""
 BUILD_JOBS=""
 BUILD_DIR="${CWD}/build"
@@ -125,6 +134,9 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     --build-jobs=?*) BUILD_JOBS=${1#*=} ;;
     --build-jobs)  usage_error "$1" "requires an argument" ;;
     --build-jobs=) usage_error "$1" "requires an argument" ;;
+    --cmake-args=?*) CMAKE_ARGS+=(${1#*=}) ;;
+    --cmake-args)  usage_error "$1" "requires an argument" ;;
+    --cmake-args=) usage_error "$1" "requires an argument" ;;
     --disable-comps=?*) DISABLE_COMPS=${1#*=} 
       DISABLE_COMPS=${DISABLE_COMPS/' '/','} 
       DISABLE_COMPS=${DISABLE_COMPS/';'/','} ;;
@@ -232,6 +244,11 @@ fi
 if [ ! -z "${BUILD_ARGS}" ]; then
   CMAKE_SETTINGS+=("-DESMX_BUILD_ARGS=${BUILD_ARGS}")
 fi
+if [ ${#CMAKE_ARGS[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+  for arg in "${CMAKE_ARGS[@]}"; do
+    CMAKE_SETTINGS+=("${arg}")
+  done
+fi
 
 # make settings
 BUILD_SETTINGS=("")