diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 712180235..1410b42a3 100755
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ ENGINE_OBJECTS = \
 	udi.o\
 	unify.o userpreds.o utilpreds.o \
 	yap-args.o write.o \
-	blobs.o swi.o ypstdio.o $(IOLIB_OBJECTS)  @MPI_OBJS@
+	blobs.o swi.o ypstdio.o $(IOLIB_OBJECTS)
 
 LIBTAI_OBJECTS = \
 	tai_add.o tai_now.o tai_pack.o \
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ startup.yss: yap@EXEC_SUFFIX@ $(PL_SOURCES)
 	echo "bootstrap('$(srcdir)/pl/init.yap'). module(user). qsave_program('startup.yss')." |  @PRE_INSTALL_ENV@ ./yap -b $(srcdir)/pl/boot.yap
 
 yap@EXEC_SUFFIX@: $(HEADERS) yap.o @YAPLIB@
-	$(MPI_CC) $(EXECUTABLE_CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o yap yap.o @YAPLIB@ $(LIBS) @MPI_LIBS@
+	$(MPI_CC) $(EXECUTABLE_CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -o yap yap.o @YAPLIB@ $(LIBS)
 
 yap-win: yap-win@EXEC_SUFFIX@
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 6dfde2bcf..5bdf00987 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -671,15 +671,13 @@ EXTRA_INCLUDES_FOR_WIN32
 ENABLE_WINCONSOLE
 STATIC_MODE
 MAX_WORKERS
-LAMOBJS
 JAVALIBS
 JPLLIBS
 JPLCFLAGS
 INSTALLCLP
 INSTALL_COMMAND
-MPI_LIBS
-MPI_OBJS
-LAM_MPI_CC
+MPICF
+MPILDF
 INSTALL_MPI
 YAPMPILIB
 IN_UNIX
@@ -868,7 +866,6 @@ with_readline
 with_matlab
 with_mpi
 with_mpe
-with_lam
 with_heap_space
 with_stack_space
 with_trail_space
@@ -1549,7 +1546,6 @@ Optional Packages:
  --with-matlab=DIR      use MATLAB package in DIR
  --with-mpi=DIR           use LAM/MPI library in DIR
  --with-mpe=DIR           use MPE library in DIR
- --with-lam=DIR           use LAM MPI library in DIR
  --with-heap-space=space  default heap size in Kbytes
  --with-stack-space=space default stack size in Kbytes
  --with-trail-space=space default trail size in Kbytes
@@ -4885,17 +4881,16 @@ fi
 # Check whether --with-mpi was given.
 if test "${with_mpi+set}" = set; then :
   withval=$with_mpi; if test "$withval" = yes; then
-        		yap_cv_lam=yes
+        		yap_cv_mpi=yes
 	elif test "$withval" = no; then
-		yap_cv_lam=no
 		yap_cv_mpi=no
 	else
-		yap_cv_lam=$with_mpi
+		yap_cv_mpi=$with_mpi
 		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_mpi}/lib"
 		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${yap_cv_mpi}/include"
 	fi
 else
-  yap_cv_lam=no
+  yap_cv_mpi=no
 fi
 
 
@@ -4918,23 +4913,6 @@ fi
 
 
 
-# Check whether --with-lam was given.
-if test "${with_lam+set}" = set; then :
-  withval=$with_lam; if test "$withval" = yes; then
-	        yap_cv_lam=yes
-	elif test "$withval" = no; then
-		yap_cv_lam=no
-	else
-		yap_cv_lam=$with_lam
-		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_lam}/lib"
-		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${yap_cv_lam}/include"
-	fi
-else
-  yap_cv_lam=no
-fi
-
-
-
 # Check whether --with-heap-space was given.
 if test "${with_heap_space+set}" = set; then :
   withval=$with_heap_space; if test "$withval" = yes; then
@@ -8433,8 +8411,8 @@ esac
 
 if test "$CC" = icc
 then
-  MPI_CC="$CC -lirc"
-  yap_cv_lam=no
+  MPI_CC="$CC"
+  yap_cv_mpi=no
 fi
 
 if test "$dynamic_loading" = "yes"
@@ -8552,30 +8530,29 @@ if test "$tabling" = "yes"
   YAP_EXTRAS="$YAP_EXTRAS -DTABLING=1"
 fi
 
-LAMOBJS=""
-MPI_OBJS=
-if  test "$yap_cv_lam" != "no" ; then
-  INSTALL_MPI=""
-  LAM_MPI_CC=${MPI_CC}
-  if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
-  # Extract the first word of "${ac_tool_prefix}mpicc", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy ${ac_tool_prefix}mpicc; ac_word=$2
+if test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "no"; then
+    if test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "yes"; then
+      # Extract the first word of "mpicc", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy mpicc; ac_word=$2
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC+:} false; then :
+if ${ac_cv_path_MPI_CC+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  if test -n "$MPI_CC"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC="$MPI_CC" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
+  case $MPI_CC in
+  [\\/]* | ?:[\\/]*)
+  ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="$MPI_CC" # Let the user override the test with a path.
+  ;;
+  *)
+  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+as_dummy="$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/etc:/usr/local/sbin"
+for as_dir in $as_dummy
 do
   IFS=$as_save_IFS
   test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
     for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
   if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC="${ac_tool_prefix}mpicc"
+    ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"
     $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
     break 2
   fi
@@ -8583,9 +8560,11 @@ done
   done
 IFS=$as_save_IFS
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_MPI_CC" && ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="true"
+  ;;
+esac
 fi
-fi
-MPI_CC=$ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC
+MPI_CC=$ac_cv_path_MPI_CC
 if test -n "$MPI_CC"; then
   { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $MPI_CC" >&5
 $as_echo "$MPI_CC" >&6; }
@@ -8595,27 +8574,28 @@ $as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
 
 
-fi
-if test -z "$ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC"; then
-  ac_ct_MPI_CC=$MPI_CC
-  # Extract the first word of "mpicc", so it can be a program name with args.
+    else
+      # Extract the first word of "mpicc", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy mpicc; ac_word=$2
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for $ac_word" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for $ac_word... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_MPI_CC+:} false; then :
+if ${ac_cv_path_MPI_CC+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  if test -n "$ac_ct_MPI_CC"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_MPI_CC="$ac_ct_MPI_CC" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
+  case $MPI_CC in
+  [\\/]* | ?:[\\/]*)
+  ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="$MPI_CC" # Let the user override the test with a path.
+  ;;
+  *)
+  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+as_dummy="$yap_cv_mpi/bin:$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/etc:/usr/local/sbin"
+for as_dir in $as_dummy
 do
   IFS=$as_save_IFS
   test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
     for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
   if as_fn_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_MPI_CC="mpicc"
+    ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"
     $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
     break 2
   fi
@@ -8623,161 +8603,27 @@ done
   done
 IFS=$as_save_IFS
 
+  test -z "$ac_cv_path_MPI_CC" && ac_cv_path_MPI_CC="true"
+  ;;
+esac
 fi
-fi
-ac_ct_MPI_CC=$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_MPI_CC
-if test -n "$ac_ct_MPI_CC"; then
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_ct_MPI_CC" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_ct_MPI_CC" >&6; }
+MPI_CC=$ac_cv_path_MPI_CC
+if test -n "$MPI_CC"; then
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $MPI_CC" >&5
+$as_echo "$MPI_CC" >&6; }
 else
   { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
 $as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
 
-  if test "x$ac_ct_MPI_CC" = x; then
-    MPI_CC="${CC}"
-  else
-    case $cross_compiling:$ac_tool_warned in
-yes:)
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: using cross tools not prefixed with host triplet" >&5
-$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: using cross tools not prefixed with host triplet" >&2;}
-ac_tool_warned=yes ;;
-esac
-    MPI_CC=$ac_ct_MPI_CC
-  fi
-else
-  MPI_CC="$ac_cv_prog_MPI_CC"
-fi
 
-  if test "$yap_cv_lam" != "yes" ; then
-    LAM_MPI_CC="$yap_cv_lam"/bin/mpicc
-    MPI_CC="$yap_cv_lam"/bin/mpicc
-    CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I ${yap_cv_lam}/include"
-    LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_lam}/lib"
-  fi
-  OLD_CC=${CC}
-  CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
-  ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "mpi.h" "ac_cv_header_mpi_h" "$ac_includes_default"
-if test "x$ac_cv_header_mpi_h" = xyes; then :
-  LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPI 1" >>confdefs.h
-
-else
-  LAMOBJS=""
-                 $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPI 0" >>confdefs.h
-
-fi
-
-
-  CC=${OLD_CC}
-  elif test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "no"; then
+    fi
+    MPILDF=`"$MPI_CC" --showme:link`
+    MPICF=`"$MPI_CC" --showme:compile`
+    LIBS="$LIBS $MPILDF"
     INSTALL_MPI=""
     OLD_CC=${CC}
     CC=${MPI_CC}
-    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for MPI_Init in -lmpi" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for MPI_Init in -lmpi... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-lmpi  $LIBS"
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
-   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
-   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C"
-#endif
-char MPI_Init ();
-int
-main ()
-{
-return MPI_Init ();
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init=no
-fi
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init" = xyes; then :
-  LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPI 1" >>confdefs.h
-
-else
-  LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPI 0" >>confdefs.h
-
-fi
-
-    if test "$ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init" = yes
-    then
-	#YAPMPILIB=YapMPI.a
-	MPI_OBJS=mpi.o
-    else
-      { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for MPI_Init in -lmpich" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for MPI_Init in -lmpich... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-lmpich  $LIBS"
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
-   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
-   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C"
-#endif
-char MPI_Init ();
-int
-main ()
-{
-return MPI_Init ();
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init=no
-fi
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init" = xyes; then :
-  $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPICH 1" >>confdefs.h
-
-else
-  $as_echo "#define HAVE_LIBMPICH 0" >>confdefs.h
-
-fi
-
-      if test "$ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init" = yes
-      then
-	#YAPMPILIB=YapMPI.a
-	MPI_OBJS=mpi.o
-      else
-	#YAPMPILIB=
-	MPI_CC=${CC}
-      fi
-    fi
     for ac_header in mpi.h
 do :
   ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "mpi.h" "ac_cv_header_mpi_h" "$ac_includes_default"
@@ -8791,7 +8637,6 @@ fi
 done
 
     CC=${OLD_CC}
-    MPI_LIBS=
     if test "$yap_cv_mpe" != "no"
     then
      OLD_CC=${CC}
@@ -9828,7 +9673,6 @@ CMDEXT=sh
 
 
 
-
 
 
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for gcc threaded code" >&5
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index a97ac4c03..a21b5932d 100755
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -376,16 +376,15 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(mpi,
 	[ --with-mpi[=DIR]           use LAM/MPI library in DIR],
 	if test "$withval" = yes; then
         dnl handle UBUNTU systems
-		yap_cv_lam=yes
+		yap_cv_mpi=yes
 	elif test "$withval" = no; then
-		yap_cv_lam=no
 		yap_cv_mpi=no
 	else
-		yap_cv_lam=$with_mpi
+		yap_cv_mpi=$with_mpi
 		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_mpi}/lib"
 		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${yap_cv_mpi}/include"
 	fi,
-	[yap_cv_lam=no])
+	[yap_cv_mpi=no])
 
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(mpe,
@@ -401,19 +400,6 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(mpe,
 	fi,
 	[yap_cv_mpe=no])
 
-AC_ARG_WITH(lam,
-	[ --with-lam[=DIR]           use LAM MPI library in DIR],
-	if test "$withval" = yes; then
-	        yap_cv_lam=yes
-	elif test "$withval" = no; then
-		yap_cv_lam=no
-	else
-		yap_cv_lam=$with_lam
-		LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_lam}/lib"
-		CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${yap_cv_lam}/include"
-	fi,
-	[yap_cv_lam=no])
-
 AC_ARG_WITH(heap-space,
 	[ --with-heap-space[=space]  default heap size in Kbytes],
 	if test "$withval" = yes; then
@@ -1533,8 +1519,8 @@ esac
 
 if test "$CC" = icc
 then
-  MPI_CC="$CC -lirc"
-  yap_cv_lam=no
+  MPI_CC="$CC"
+  yap_cv_mpi=no
 fi
 
 if test "$dynamic_loading" = "yes"
@@ -1647,56 +1633,20 @@ if test "$tabling" = "yes"
 fi
 dnl LAM/MPI interface
 
-LAMOBJS=""
-MPI_OBJS=
-if  test "$yap_cv_lam" != "no" ; then	
-  INSTALL_MPI=""
-  LAM_MPI_CC=${MPI_CC}
-  AC_CHECK_TOOL(MPI_CC,mpicc,${CC})
-  if test "$yap_cv_lam" != "yes" ; then
-    LAM_MPI_CC="$yap_cv_lam"/bin/mpicc
-    MPI_CC="$yap_cv_lam"/bin/mpicc
-    CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I ${yap_cv_lam}/include"
-    LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${yap_cv_lam}/lib"
-  fi
-  OLD_CC=${CC}	
-  CC=${LAM_MPI_CC}
-  AC_CHECK_HEADER(mpi.h,
-		[LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPI, 1)],
-		[LAMOBJS=""
-                 AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPI, 0)])
-  CC=${OLD_CC}
-  dnl use mpich library
-elif test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "no"; then
+if test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "no"; then
+    if test "$yap_cv_mpi" != "yes"; then
+      AC_PATH_PROG(MPI_CC,mpicc,true,$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/etc:/usr/local/sbin)
+    else
+      AC_PATH_PROG(MPI_CC,mpicc,true,$yap_cv_mpi/bin:$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/etc:/usr/local/sbin)
+    fi
+    MPILDF=`"$MPI_CC" --showme:link`
+    MPICF=`"$MPI_CC" --showme:compile`
+    LIBS="$LIBS $MPILDF"
     INSTALL_MPI=""
     OLD_CC=${CC}
     CC=${MPI_CC}
-    AC_CHECK_LIB(mpi,MPI_Init,
-		[LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPI, 1)],
-		[LAMOBJS=yap_mpi."$SO"
-                 AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPI, 0)])
-    if test "$ac_cv_lib_mpi_MPI_Init" = yes
-    then
-	#YAPMPILIB=YapMPI.a
-	MPI_OBJS=mpi.o
-    else
-      AC_CHECK_LIB(mpich,MPI_Init,
-		[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPICH, 1)],
-		[AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBMPICH, 0)])
-      if test "$ac_cv_lib_mpich_MPI_Init" = yes
-      then
-	#YAPMPILIB=YapMPI.a
-	MPI_OBJS=mpi.o
-      else
-	#YAPMPILIB=
-	MPI_CC=${CC}
-      fi
-    fi
     AC_CHECK_HEADERS(mpi.h)
     CC=${OLD_CC}
-    MPI_LIBS=
     if test "$yap_cv_mpe" != "no"
     then
      OLD_CC=${CC}
@@ -1919,16 +1869,15 @@ AC_SUBST(LIBJPL)
 AC_SUBST(IN_UNIX)
 AC_SUBST(YAPMPILIB)
 AC_SUBST(INSTALL_MPI)
-AC_SUBST(LAM_MPI_CC)
-AC_SUBST(MPI_OBJS)
-AC_SUBST(MPI_LIBS)
+AC_SUBST(MPI_CC)
+AC_SUBST(MPILDF)
+AC_SUBST(MPICF)
 AC_SUBST(INSTALL_COMMAND)
 AC_SUBST(INSTALLCLP)
 AC_SUBST(JPLCFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(JPLLIBS)
 AC_SUBST(JAVALIBS)
 AC_SUBST(JPLCFLAGS)
-AC_SUBST(LAMOBJS)
 AC_SUBST(MAX_WORKERS)
 AC_SUBST(STATIC_MODE)
 AC_SUBST(ENABLE_WINCONSOLE)
diff --git a/library/lammpi/Makefile.in b/library/lammpi/Makefile.in
index 82f3077a1..877ea3335 100644
--- a/library/lammpi/Makefile.in
+++ b/library/lammpi/Makefile.in
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ YAPLIBDIR=@libdir@/Yap
 #
 #
 CC=@CC@
-MPI_CC=@LAM_MPI_CC@
+MPI_CC=@MPI_CC@
 CFLAGS= @SHLIB_CFLAGS@ $(YAP_EXTRAS) $(DEFS) -I$(srcdir) -I../.. -I$(srcdir)/../../include
 #
 #
@@ -37,13 +37,12 @@ RANLIB=@RANLIB@
 srcdir=@srcdir@
 SO=@SO@
 CWD=$(PWD)
-MPILDF=`$(MPI_CC) --showme:link`
-MPICF=`$(MPI_CC) --showme:compile`
+MPILDF=@MPILDF@
+MPICF=@MPICF@
 #
 
 OBJS=yap_mpi.o hash.o prologterms2c.o
-SOBJS=@LAMOBJS@
-#yap_mpi.@SO@
+SOBJS=yap_mpi.@SO@
 
 #in some systems we just create a single object, in others we need to
 # create a libray