diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 3ee063aaa..afccd1473 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -135,7 +135,10 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
 
 else:
     toolchain = ['default']
-
+#
+#  Go get the environment especially the toolchain which we will use to compile
+#  the code
+#
 env = Environment(tools=toolchain+['textfile', 'subst', 'recursiveInstall', 'wix'],
                   ENV={'PATH': os.environ['PATH']},
                   toolchain=toolchain,
@@ -641,12 +644,22 @@ if env['env_vars'] == 'all':
     if 'PYTHONHOME' in env['ENV']:
         del env['ENV']['PYTHONHOME']
 elif env['env_vars']:
-    for name in env['env_vars'].split(','):
-        if name in os.environ:
+    for name_n in env['env_vars'].split(','):
+        #
+        # Strip name of leading and trailer white space. This is a known error that has led to problems.
+        #
+        name = name_n.strip()
+        print 'name environ lookup is : ', os.environ[name]
+        #
+        # Add name to the saved environment for later use, getting the environmental value
+        # 
+        if name in os.environ :
             env['ENV'][name] = os.environ[name]
         elif name not in defaults.env_vars:
             print 'WARNING: failed to propagate environment variable', name
+            print '         Go back and edit cantera.conf file'
 
+# exit(0)
 env['extra_inc_dirs'] = [d for d in env['extra_inc_dirs'].split(':') if d]
 env['extra_lib_dirs'] = [d for d in env['extra_lib_dirs'].split(':') if d]
 
@@ -1554,3 +1567,8 @@ if any(target.startswith('test') for target in COMMAND_LINE_TARGETS):
         for name in env['testNames']:
             print 'test-%s' % name
         sys.exit(0)
+ 
+
+#import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
+
+
diff --git a/test/SConscript b/test/SConscript
index 4e98f4ce6..00a47426e 100644
--- a/test/SConscript
+++ b/test/SConscript
@@ -181,9 +181,27 @@ def addMatlabTest(script, testName, dependencies=None, env_vars=()):
 if localenv['python_package'] in ('full', 'minimal'):
     python_env_vars = {'PYTHONPATH': Dir('#build/python2').abspath,
                        'PYTHON_CMD': localenv.subst('$python_cmd')}
+    #
+    # I guess we need to install the current python installation which is located
+    # within our own build directory in front of the existing PYTHONPATH which
+    # contains locations for numpy and other packages
+    #
+    if 'PYTHONPATH' in env['ENV'] :
+        tmpp = Dir('#build/python2').abspath + ':'+ env['ENV']['PYTHONPATH']
+    else:
+        tmpp = Dir('#build/python2').abspath
+    python_env_vars['PYTHONPATH'] = tmpp
+    # print 'python_env_vars = ', python_env_vars['PYTHONPATH']
+    # import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
+
 elif localenv['python3_package'] == 'y':
     python_env_vars = {'PYTHONPATH': Dir('#build/python3').abspath,
                        'PYTHON_CMD': localenv.subst('$python3_cmd')}
+    if 'PYTHONPATH' in env['ENV'] :
+        tmpp = Dir('#build/python3').abspath + ':'+ env['ENV']['PYTHONPATH']
+    else:
+        tmpp = Dir('#build/python3').abspath
+    python_env_vars['PYTHONPATH'] = tmpp
 else:
     python_env_vars = {} # Tests calling ck2cti or ctml_writer will fail
 
@@ -203,6 +221,16 @@ def make_python_tests(version):
     # tests (test-cython2) for the main suite.
     for subset in python_subtests:
         name = 'cython%i-' %version + subset if subset else 'cython%i' % version
+        #
+        # Need to respect the incoming PYTHONPATH variable and to put the current install
+        # dir in front of PYTHONPATH
+        #
+        if 'PYTHONPATH' in env['ENV']:
+            tmpp =  Dir('#build/python%i' % version).abspath + ":" + env['ENV']['PYTHONPATH']
+        else:
+            tmpp = Dir('#build/python%i' % version).abspath 
+
+
         pyTest = addPythonTest(
             name, 'python', 'runCythonTests.py',
             args=subset,
@@ -211,7 +239,8 @@ def make_python_tests(version):
             dependencies=(localenv['python%i_module' % version] +
                           localenv['python%i_extension' % version] +
                           mglob(localenv, test_root, 'py')),
-            env_vars={'PYTHONPATH':Dir('#build/python%i' % version).abspath},
+            # env_vars={'PYTHONPATH':Dir('#build/python%i' % version).abspath},
+            env_vars={'PYTHONPATH': tmpp },
             optional=bool(subset))
         localenv.Alias('test-' + name, pyTest)
         env['testNames'].append(name)
diff --git a/test_problems/SConscript b/test_problems/SConscript
index fcfb0ea42..406bea101 100644
--- a/test_problems/SConscript
+++ b/test_problems/SConscript
@@ -6,11 +6,33 @@ localenv.Prepend(CPPPATH=['#include', '#src', 'shared'])
 localenv.Append(CCFLAGS=env['warning_flags'])
 
 if localenv['python_package'] in ('full', 'minimal'):
-    localenv['ENV']['PYTHONPATH'] = pjoin(os.getcwd(), '..', 'build', 'python2')
+    tmp1  = pjoin(os.getcwd(), '..', 'build', 'python2')
+    #
+    # I guess we need to install the current python installation which is located
+    # within our own build directory in front of the existing PYTHONPATH which
+    # contains locations for numpy and other packages
+    #
+    if 'PYTHONPATH' in env['ENV'] :
+        tmpp = tmp1 + ':' + env['ENV']['PYTHONPATH']
+    else:
+        tmpp = tmp1
+
+    localenv['ENV']['PYTHONPATH'] = tmpp
     localenv['ENV']['PYTHON_CMD'] = localenv.subst('$python_cmd')
     haveConverters = True
 elif localenv['python3_package'] == 'y':
-    localenv['ENV']['PYTHONPATH'] = pjoin(os.getcwd(), '..', 'build', 'python3')
+    tmp1  = pjoin(os.getcwd(), '..', 'build', 'python3')
+    #
+    # I guess we need to install the current python installation which is located
+    # within our own build directory in front of the existing PYTHONPATH which
+    # contains locations for numpy and other packages
+    #
+    if 'PYTHONPATH' in env['ENV'] :
+        tmpp = tmp1 + ':' + env['ENV']['PYTHONPATH']
+    else:
+        tmpp = tmp1
+
+    localenv['ENV']['PYTHONPATH'] = tmpp
     localenv['ENV']['PYTHON_CMD'] = localenv.subst('$python3_cmd')
     haveConverters = True
 else: