diff --git a/test_problems/ChemEquil_gri_matrix/Makefile.in b/test_problems/ChemEquil_gri_matrix/Makefile.in
index 9e64075a0..912d76cf7 100644
--- a/test_problems/ChemEquil_gri_matrix/Makefile.in
+++ b/test_problems/ChemEquil_gri_matrix/Makefile.in
@@ -65,7 +65,10 @@ CANTERA_LIBDIR=@ct_libdir@
 endif
 
 # required Cantera libraries
-CANTERA_LIBS = -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR) @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
+#  -> don't need this: -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR)  as
+#     @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ has this directory
+#
+CANTERA_LIBS = @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
 
 ifeq ($(in_CanteraBuildTree),1)
 CANTERA_LIBS_DEP = @LOCAL_LIBS_DEP@ $(CANTERA_LIBDIR)/libctcxx.a
@@ -78,11 +81,12 @@ endif
 ALT_LIBS_DEP := $(addprefix $(CANTER_LIBDIR), @RAW_LIBS_DEP@ libctcxx.a)
 
 # flags passed to the C++ compiler/linker for the linking step
-LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@
+LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@  @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ 
 
 # How to compile C++ source files to object files
+# -> don't need this:  @CXX_INCLUDES@ 
 .cpp.o:
-	$(CXX) -c $< $(CXX_FLAGS)
+	$(CXX) -c $< $(CXX_FLAGS) 
 
 # How to compile the dependency file
 .cpp.d:
diff --git a/test_problems/ChemEquil_red1/Makefile.in b/test_problems/ChemEquil_red1/Makefile.in
index 78c656fd8..09ff6add2 100644
--- a/test_problems/ChemEquil_red1/Makefile.in
+++ b/test_problems/ChemEquil_red1/Makefile.in
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ CANTERA_LIBDIR=@ct_libdir@
 endif
 
 # required Cantera libraries
-CANTERA_LIBS = -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR) @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
+CANTERA_LIBS =  @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
 
 ifeq ($(in_CanteraBuildTree),1)
 CANTERA_LIBS_DEP = @LOCAL_LIBS_DEP@ $(CANTERA_LIBDIR)/libctcxx.a
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ endif
 ALT_LIBS_DEP := $(addprefix $(CANTER_LIBDIR), @RAW_LIBS_DEP@ libctcxx.a)
 
 # flags passed to the C++ compiler/linker for the linking step
-LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@
+LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@  @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ 
 
 # How to compile C++ source files to object files
 .cpp.o:
diff --git a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/Makefile.in b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/Makefile.in
index d6cd534d8..de7ca82c3 100644
--- a/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/Makefile.in
+++ b/test_problems/VCSnonideal/NaCl_equil/Makefile.in
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ CANTERA_LIBDIR=@buildlib@
 #
 # Setup The Cantera Interface
 #
-CANTERA_LIBS=-lequil -lVCSnonideal  -lthermo -ltpx -lctnumerics \
-             -lctbase -lctlapack -lctblas -lctcxx
+CANTERA_LIBS= @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
 
 CANTERA_LIBDEP = \
      $(CANTERA_LIBDIR)/libequil.a \
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ CANTERA_LIBDEP = \
 
 
 # flags passed to the C++ compiler/linker for the linking step
-LCXX_FLAGS = -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR)  @CXXFLAGS@
+LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@ @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ 
 
 # How to compile C++ source files to object files
 .cpp.o:
diff --git a/test_problems/pureFluidTest/Makefile.in b/test_problems/pureFluidTest/Makefile.in
index 5191bfb1f..338f55a95 100644
--- a/test_problems/pureFluidTest/Makefile.in
+++ b/test_problems/pureFluidTest/Makefile.in
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ CANTERA_INCDIR=@ctroot@/build/include/cantera
 INCLUDES=-I$(CANTERA_INCDIR) -I$(CANTERA_INCDIR)/kernel @CXX_INCLUDES@ 
 
 # flags passed to the C++ compiler/linker for the linking step
-LCXX_FLAGS = -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR) @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ @CXXFLAGS@
+LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@ @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ 
 
 # How to compile C++ source files to object files
 .@CXX_EXT@.@OBJ_EXT@:
diff --git a/test_problems/rankine_democxx/Makefile.in b/test_problems/rankine_democxx/Makefile.in
index 5cbda8ec3..d05c1b82b 100644
--- a/test_problems/rankine_democxx/Makefile.in
+++ b/test_problems/rankine_democxx/Makefile.in
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ CANTERA_LIBDIR=@ct_libdir@
 endif
 
 # required Cantera libraries
-CANTERA_LIBS = -L$(CANTERA_LIBDIR) @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
+CANTERA_LIBS = @LOCAL_LIBS@ -lctcxx
 
 ifeq ($(in_CanteraBuildTree),1)
 CANTERA_LIBS_DEP = @LOCAL_LIBS_DEP@ $(CANTERA_LIBDIR)/libctcxx.a
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ endif
 ALT_LIBS_DEP := $(addprefix $(CANTER_LIBDIR), @RAW_LIBS_DEP@ libctcxx.a)
 
 # flags passed to the C++ compiler/linker for the linking step
-LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@
+LCXX_FLAGS = @CXXFLAGS@  @LOCAL_LIB_DIRS@ 
 
 # How to compile C++ source files to object files
 .cpp.o: