diff --git a/cmake/HandleGeneralOptions.cmake b/cmake/HandleGeneralOptions.cmake
index 266da7ca1f..83cf9bbb97 100644
--- a/cmake/HandleGeneralOptions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/HandleGeneralOptions.cmake
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ option(GTSAM_SUPPORT_NESTED_DISSECTION      "Support Metis-based nested dissecti
 option(GTSAM_TANGENT_PREINTEGRATION         "Use new ImuFactor with integration on tangent space" ON)
 option(GTSAM_SLOW_BUT_CORRECT_BETWEENFACTOR "Use the slower but correct version of BetweenFactor" OFF)
 option(GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION "Enable Boost serialization" ON)
+
+#TODO(kartikarcot) defining it in config.h.in did not work
+if (GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION)
+    add_definitions(-DGTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION)
+endif()
+
 if(NOT MSVC AND NOT XCODE_VERSION)
     option(GTSAM_BUILD_WITH_CCACHE           "Use ccache compiler cache" ON)
 endif()
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 7fc33f9210..1584a3a356 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,4 +2,12 @@ set (excluded_examples
     elaboratePoint2KalmanFilter.cpp
 )
 
+# if GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION is not set then SolverComparer.cpp will not compile
+if (NOT GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION)
+  set (excluded_examples
+    ${excluded_examples}
+    SolverComparer.cpp
+  )
+endif()
+
 gtsamAddExamplesGlob("*.cpp" "${excluded_examples}" "gtsam;gtsam_unstable;${Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_LIBRARY}")
diff --git a/gtsam/base/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/base/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index d8d79f9123..ae8a125814 100644
--- a/gtsam/base/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/base/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(base "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/config.h.in b/gtsam/config.h.in
index fd71f5d89a..7f8936d1e3 100644
--- a/gtsam/config.h.in
+++ b/gtsam/config.h.in
@@ -83,6 +83,3 @@
 
 // Toggle switch for BetweenFactor jacobian computation
 #cmakedefine GTSAM_SLOW_BUT_CORRECT_BETWEENFACTOR
-
-// Toggle Boost serialization definitions
-#cmakedefine GTSAM_ENABLE_BOOST_SERIALIZATION
diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/geometry/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 0e2da2a93a..97b41c1fd4 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(geometry "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/hybrid/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/hybrid/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 9c8bc74cbd..ddb5ff6405 100644
--- a/gtsam/hybrid/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/hybrid/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(hybrid "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 4f098275ad..4dcd5f4e9c 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(nonlinear "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/sam/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/sam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 10a03e0731..000ded774c 100644
--- a/gtsam/sam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/sam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(sam "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/slam/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/slam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index e5dd0830e4..223fa6501c 100644
--- a/gtsam/slam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/slam/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(slam "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
diff --git a/gtsam/symbolic/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/symbolic/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 95e610593c..65a7cf719c 100644
--- a/gtsam/symbolic/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/symbolic/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ else()
   set(EXCLUDE_TESTS "")
 endif()
 
-gtsamAddTestsGlob(discrete "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")
+gtsamAddTestsGlob(symbolic "test*.cpp" "${EXCLUDE_TESTS}" "gtsam")