diff --git a/external/cutt.cmake b/external/cutt.cmake
index 942d4f5b07..4023f2b43c 100644
--- a/external/cutt.cmake
+++ b/external/cutt.cmake
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ else()
     set(CUTT_CMAKE_ARGS
         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR}
         -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}
+        -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=${CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE}
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
         -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}
         -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS=${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}
@@ -102,11 +103,22 @@ else()
             BUILD_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build . --target cutt -v
             BUILD_BYPRODUCTS ${CUTT_BUILD_BYPRODUCTS}
             #--Install step---------------
-	    INSTALL_COMMAND cmake -E echo "Skipping default install step."
+            INSTALL_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "cuTT will be installed during TiledArray's installation."
             #--Custom targets-------------
             STEP_TARGETS build
             )
 
+    # do install of cuTT as part of building TiledArray's install target
+    install(CODE
+            "execute_process(
+               COMMAND \"${CMAKE_COMMAND}\" \"--build\" \".\" \"--target\" \"install\"
+               WORKING_DIRECTORY \"${EXTERNAL_BUILD_DIR}\"
+               RESULT_VARIABLE error_code)
+               if(error_code)
+                 message(FATAL_ERROR \"Failed to install cuTT\")
+               endif()
+            ")
+
     # Add cuTT dependency to External
     add_dependencies(External-tiledarray cutt-build)
 
diff --git a/external/umpire.cmake b/external/umpire.cmake
index 54f5ded0d9..6c2d49b7f5 100644
--- a/external/umpire.cmake
+++ b/external/umpire.cmake
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ else()
     set(UMPIRE_CMAKE_ARGS
         -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${EXTERNAL_INSTALL_DIR}
         -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}
+        -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=${CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE}
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}
         -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}
         -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS=${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}
@@ -108,11 +109,22 @@ else()
             BUILD_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build . -v
             BUILD_BYPRODUCTS ${UMPIRE_BUILD_BYPRODUCTS}
             #--Install step---------------
-	    INSTALL_COMMAND cmake -E echo "Skipping default install step."
+            INSTALL_COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E echo "Umpire will be installed during TiledArray's installation."
             #--Custom targets-------------
             STEP_TARGETS build
             )
 
+    # do install of Umpire as part of building TiledArray's install target
+    install(CODE
+            "execute_process(
+               COMMAND \"${CMAKE_COMMAND}\" \"--build\" \".\" \"--target\" \"install\"
+               WORKING_DIRECTORY \"${EXTERNAL_BUILD_DIR}\"
+               RESULT_VARIABLE error_code)
+               if(error_code)
+                 message(FATAL_ERROR \"Failed to install Umpire\")
+               endif()
+            ")
+
     # Add Umpire dependency to External
     add_dependencies(External-tiledarray Umpire-build)
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 8ba82b06d7..79fd5bb6d6 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -258,21 +258,9 @@ add_library(tiledarray ${TILEDARRAY_SOURCE_FILES} ${TILEDARRAY_HEADER_FILES})
   target_link_libraries(${targetname} PUBLIC MADworld)
   target_link_libraries(${targetname} PUBLIC Boost::boost)
 
-  if (TARGET build-madness)
-    add_dependencies(${targetname} build-madness)
-  endif ()
-  if (TARGET eigen3)
-    add_dependencies(${targetname} eigen3)
-  endif ()
-  if (TARGET btas)
-    add_dependencies(${targetname} btas)
-  endif ()
-  if (TARGET cutt)
-    add_dependencies(${targetname} cutt)
-  endif ()
-  if (TARGET Umpire)
-    add_dependencies(${targetname} Umpire)
-  endif ()
+  # build all external deps before building tiledarray
+  add_dependencies(${targetname} External-tiledarray)
+
   # append current CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS
   string(REPLACE " " ";" CMAKE_CXX_FLAG_LIST "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
   target_compile_options(${targetname} PUBLIC ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAG_LIST})