diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 99c3af69..d8abacc3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 3.18)
 
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
-set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++17 -lstdc++fs ")
+
+if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+endif()
+
 
 set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
 set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH_USE_LINK_PATH TRUE)
@@ -241,7 +244,6 @@ if(HIOP_USE_GPU)
     if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CUDA_STANDARD)
       set(CMAKE_CUDA_STANDARD 17)
       set(CMAKE_CUDA_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
-      set(CUDA_NVCC_FLAGS "-std=c++17")
     endif()
 
     if(NOT CMAKE_CUDA_ARCHITECTURES)