diff --git a/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake b/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
index c3cad9d83..e963a0d9c 100644
--- a/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
+++ b/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
@@ -5,13 +5,17 @@ unset(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE CACHE)
 unset(CYTHON_EXECUTABLE CACHE)
 unset(PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIR CACHE)
 unset(PYTHON_MAJOR_VERSION CACHE)
+unset(PYTHON_LIBRARY CACHE)
 
-if(GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION STREQUAL "Default")
-  find_package(PythonInterp REQUIRED)
-  find_package(PythonLibs REQUIRED)
-else()
-  find_package(PythonInterp ${GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION} EXACT REQUIRED)
-  find_package(PythonLibs ${GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION} EXACT REQUIRED)
+# Allow override from command line
+if(NOT DEFINED GTSAM_USE_CUSTOM_PYTHON_LIBRARY)
+  if(GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION STREQUAL "Default")
+    find_package(PythonInterp REQUIRED)
+    find_package(PythonLibs REQUIRED)
+  else()
+    find_package(PythonInterp ${GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION} EXACT REQUIRED)
+    find_package(PythonLibs ${GTSAM_PYTHON_VERSION} EXACT REQUIRED)
+  endif()
 endif()
 find_package(Cython 0.25.2 REQUIRED)
 
diff --git a/cython/setup.py.in b/cython/setup.py.in
index c35e54079..127eb9c3f 100644
--- a/cython/setup.py.in
+++ b/cython/setup.py.in
@@ -5,15 +5,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     from distutils.core import setup, find_packages
 
-if 'SETUP_PY_NO_CHECK' not in os.environ:
-    script_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-    install_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.realpath(os.path.join('${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}${GTSAM_BUILD_TAG}', 'setup.py')))
-    if script_path != install_path:
-        print('setup.py is being run from an unexpected location: "{}"'.format(script_path))
-        print('please run `make install` and run the script from there')
-        sys.exit(1)
-
-
 packages = find_packages()
 
 setup(
diff --git a/gtsam/3rdparty/metis/CMakeLists.txt b/gtsam/3rdparty/metis/CMakeLists.txt
index 8ff69dde3..de46165ff 100644
--- a/gtsam/3rdparty/metis/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gtsam/3rdparty/metis/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ else()
   set(METIS_LIBRARY_TYPE STATIC)
 endif()
 
+# Allow a static METIS while building GTSAM as dynamic
+if(BUILD_STATIC_METIS)
+  set(METIS_LIBRARY_TYPE STATIC)
+endif()
+
 include(${GKLIB_PATH}/GKlibSystem.cmake)
 # Add include directories.
 include_directories(${GKLIB_PATH})