diff --git a/config.h.in b/config.h.in
index 79941dd18..9036b52ad 100644
--- a/config.h.in
+++ b/config.h.in
@@ -22,25 +22,11 @@
 
 /* What MPI libraries are there? */
 #define HAVE_LIBMPI 0
-#define HAVE_LIBMPICH 0
-
-/* Should we use MPI ? */
-#if HAVE_LIBMPI || HAVE_LIBMPICH
-#define HAVE_MPI 1
-#else
-#define HAVE_MPI 0
-#endif
+#define HAVE_LIBMPICH 
 
 /* Is there an MPE library? */
 #define HAVE_LIBMPE 0
 
-/* Should we use MPE ? */
-#if HAVE_LIBMPE &&  HAVE_MPI
-#define HAVE_MPE 1
-#else
-#define HAVE_MPE 0
-#endif
-
 /* does the compiler support inline ? */
 #undef inline
 
@@ -325,7 +311,7 @@
 #endif
 
 /* Should we use MPI ? */
-#if defined(HAVE_MPI_H) && (HAVE_LIBMPI || HAVE_LIBMPICH)
+#if defined(HAVE_MPI_H) && (defined(HAVE_LIBMPI) || defined(HAVE_LIBMPICH))
  #define HAVE_MPI 1
 #else
  #define HAVE_MPI 0
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 09e68a44c..cf3f460d8 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4793,6 +4793,10 @@ fi
 # Check whether --with-mpi was given.
 if test "${with_mpi+set}" = set; then :
   withval=$with_mpi; if test "$withval" = yes; then
+        	        if test -e /usr/lib/openmpi; then
+		  CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/openmpi/include"
+		  LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L/usr/openmpi/lib"
+                fi
 		yap_cv_mpi=yes
 	elif test "$withval" = no; then
 		yap_cv_mpi=no
@@ -6937,6 +6941,46 @@ fi
   CC=${OLD_CC}
 fi
 
+OLD_CC=${CC}
+CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for main in -llam" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for main in -llam... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_lib_lam_main+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+LIBS="-llam  $LIBS"
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+
+int
+main ()
+{
+return main ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_lib_lam_main=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_lib_lam_main=no
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_lam_main" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_lam_main" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_lib_lam_main" = xyes; then :
+  LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
+else
+  LAMOBJS=no
+fi
+
+CC=${OLD_CC}
+
 ac_ext=c
 ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
 ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
@@ -7881,46 +7925,6 @@ fi
 
 fi
 
-OLD_CC=${CC}
-CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for main in -llam" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for main in -llam... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_lam_main+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-llam  $LIBS"
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-
-int
-main ()
-{
-return main ();
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_lam_main=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_lam_main=no
-fi
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_lam_main" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_lam_main" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_lam_main" = xyes; then :
-  LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-else
-  LAMOBJS=no
-fi
-
-CC=${OLD_CC}
-
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for ANSI C header files" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for ANSI C header files... " >&6; }
 if ${ac_cv_header_stdc+:} false; then :
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 68e567a8c..97cc58fd5 100755
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -356,6 +356,11 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(matlab,
 AC_ARG_WITH(mpi,
 	[ --with-mpi[=DIR]           use MPI library in DIR],
 	if test "$withval" = yes; then
+        dnl handle UBUNTU systems
+	        if test -e /usr/lib/openmpi; then
+		  CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/openmpi/include"
+		  LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L/usr/openmpi/lib"
+                fi
 		yap_cv_mpi=yes
 	elif test "$withval" = no; then
 		yap_cv_mpi=no
@@ -1067,6 +1072,14 @@ then
   CC=${OLD_CC}
 fi
 
+dnl LAM
+OLD_CC=${CC}	
+CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
+AC_CHECK_LIB([lam], [main],
+	LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO",
+	LAMOBJS=no)
+CC=${OLD_CC}
+
 AC_PROG_CPP
 
 if test "$cross_compiling" = "yes"
@@ -1565,14 +1578,6 @@ AC_SUBST(ZLIB_INSTALL)
 
 fi
 
-dnl LAM
-OLD_CC=${CC}	
-CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
-AC_CHECK_LIB([lam], [main],
-	LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO",
-	LAMOBJS=no)
-CC=${OLD_CC}
-
 dnl Checks for header files.
 AC_HEADER_STDC
 AC_HEADER_SYS_WAIT