diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index eb826e18..7831a17e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake" ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH})
 
 
 # GNUInstallDirs to provide sensible default install directory names
-cmake_path(SET ORG_INSTALL_PATH NORMALIZE "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}")
-cmake_path(APPEND CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX "quest")
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
 
@@ -74,10 +72,11 @@ endif()
 
 
 # Library type
-# Shared library by default
-option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "Build shared library. Turned ON by default." ON)
-message(STATUS "Shared library is turned ${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}. Set BUILD_SHARED_LIBS to modify.")
-
+# Shared library by default when we are the top level cmake project
+if(PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
+  option(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS "Build shared library. Turned ON by default." ON)
+  message(STATUS "Shared library is turned ${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}. Set BUILD_SHARED_LIBS to modify.")
+endif ()
 
 # Library naming
 set(LIB_NAME QuEST 
@@ -185,6 +184,7 @@ option(
 )
 message(STATUS "Disabling of deprecated API warnings is turned ${DISABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS}. Set DISABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS to modify.")
 
+option(INSTALL_BINARIES "Whether to include example and user binaries in the install." OFF)
 
 
 # ============================
@@ -565,10 +565,12 @@ add_executable(min_example
 )
 target_link_libraries(min_example PRIVATE QuEST::QuEST)
 
-install(TARGETS min_example
-  RUNTIME
-  DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
-)
+if (INSTALL_BINARIES)
+  install(TARGETS min_example
+    RUNTIME
+    DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}
+  )
+endif ()
 
 
 # all examples optionally built
@@ -577,7 +579,7 @@ if (BUILD_EXAMPLES)
 endif()
 
 
-## RATH
+## RPATH
 set(BUILD_RPATH_USE_ORIGIN ON)
 if(APPLE)
   set(_RPATH_ORIGIN "@loader_path")
@@ -732,3 +734,7 @@ install(
   NAMESPACE QuEST::
   DESTINATION "${QuEST_INSTALL_CONFIGDIR}"
 )
+
+if(PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
+  include(CPack)
+endif ()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 00d4c343..afc8f85d 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ function(add_example direc in_fn)
   add_executable(${target} ${in_fn})
   target_link_libraries(${target} PUBLIC QuEST)
 
-  install(
-    TARGETS ${target}
-    RUNTIME
-    DESTINATION ${out_dir}
-  )
+  if (INSTALL_BINARIES)
+    install(
+      TARGETS ${target}
+      RUNTIME
+      DESTINATION ${out_dir}
+    )
+  endif ()
 
   set_target_properties(${target} 
     PROPERTIES