diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index abd406f31..6d6ff9104 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -852,6 +852,21 @@ def config_error(message):
 if not conf.CheckCXXHeader('cmath', '<>'):
     config_error('The C++ compiler is not correctly configured.')
 
+
+def get_expression_value(includes, expression):
+    s = ['#include ' + i for i in includes]
+    s.extend(('#define Q(x) #x',
+              '#define QUOTE(x) Q(x)',
+              '#include <iostream>',
+              '#ifndef SUNDIALS_PACKAGE_VERSION', # name change in Sundials >= 3.0
+              '#define SUNDIALS_PACKAGE_VERSION SUNDIALS_VERSION',
+              '#endif',
+              'int main(int argc, char** argv) {',
+              '    std::cout << %s << std::endl;' % expression,
+              '    return 0;',
+              '}\n'))
+    return '\n'.join(s)
+
 # Check for fmt library and checkout submodule if needed
 # Test for 'ostream.h' to ensure that version >= 3.0.0 is available
 if env['system_fmt'] in ('y', 'default'):
@@ -912,12 +927,14 @@ if env['system_googletest'] in ('n', 'default'):
 if env['system_eigen'] in ('y', 'default'):
     if conf.CheckCXXHeader('Eigen/Dense', '<>'):
         env['system_eigen'] = True
+        print("""INFO: Using system installation of Eigen.""")
     elif env['system_eigen'] == 'y':
         config_error('Expected system installation of Eigen, but it '
                      'could not be found.')
 
 if env['system_eigen'] in ('n', 'default'):
     env['system_eigen'] = False
+    print("""INFO: Using private installation of Eigen.""")
     if not os.path.exists('ext/eigen/Eigen/Dense'):
         if not os.path.exists('.git'):
             config_error('Eigen is missing. Install Eigen in ext/eigen.')
@@ -932,20 +949,12 @@ if env['system_eigen'] in ('n', 'default'):
                          'Try manually checking out the submodule with:\n\n'
                          '    git submodule update --init --recursive ext/eigen\n')
 
-
-def get_expression_value(includes, expression):
-    s = ['#include ' + i for i in includes]
-    s.extend(('#define Q(x) #x',
-              '#define QUOTE(x) Q(x)',
-              '#include <iostream>',
-              '#ifndef SUNDIALS_PACKAGE_VERSION', # name change in Sundials >= 3.0
-              '#define SUNDIALS_PACKAGE_VERSION SUNDIALS_VERSION',
-              '#endif',
-              'int main(int argc, char** argv) {',
-              '    std::cout << %s << std::endl;' % expression,
-              '    return 0;',
-              '}\n'))
-    return '\n'.join(s)
+eigen_include = '<Eigen/Core>' if env['system_eigen'] else '"../ext/eigen/Eigen/Core"'
+eigen_versions = 'QUOTE(EIGEN_WORLD_VERSION) "." QUOTE(EIGEN_MAJOR_VERSION) "." QUOTE(EIGEN_MINOR_VERSION)'
+eigen_version_source = get_expression_value([eigen_include], eigen_versions)
+retcode, eigen_lib_version = conf.TryRun(eigen_version_source, '.cpp')
+env['EIGEN_LIB_VERSION'] = eigen_lib_version.strip()
+print('INFO: Found Eigen version {}'.format(env['EIGEN_LIB_VERSION']))
 
 # Determine which standard library to link to when using Fortran to
 # compile code that links to Cantera
@@ -954,8 +963,8 @@ env['HAS_LIBCPP'] = conf.CheckDeclaration('_LIBCPP_VERSION', '#include <iostream
 
 boost_version_source = get_expression_value(['<boost/version.hpp>'], 'BOOST_LIB_VERSION')
 retcode, boost_lib_version = conf.TryRun(boost_version_source, '.cpp')
-env['BOOST_LIB_VERSION'] = boost_lib_version.strip()
-print('INFO: Found Boost version {0!r}'.format(env['BOOST_LIB_VERSION']))
+env['BOOST_LIB_VERSION'] = '.'.join(boost_lib_version.strip().split('_'))
+print('INFO: Found Boost version {0}'.format(env['BOOST_LIB_VERSION']))
 if not env['BOOST_LIB_VERSION']:
     config_error("Boost could not be found. Install Boost headers or set"
                  " 'boost_inc_dir' to point to the boost headers.")