diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3123dbea2..07d8d49de 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -215,6 +215,15 @@ endif()
 ###       http://eigen.tuxfamily.org/bz/show_bug.cgi?id=705 (Fix MKL LLT return code)
 option(GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN "Find and use system-installed Eigen. If 'off', use the one bundled with GTSAM" OFF)
 
+# Use system Eigen if version >= 3.2.5 since that includes our patches
+find_package(Eigen3 QUIET)
+if(EIGEN3_FOUND AND (${EIGEN3_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER "3.2.4"))
+	set(GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN ON)
+	set(GTSAM_SYSTEM_EIGEN_MKL_ERROR OFF)
+else()
+	set(GTSAM_SYSTEM_EIGEN_MKL_ERROR ON)
+endif()
+
 # Switch for using system Eigen or GTSAM-bundled Eigen
 if(GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN)
 	find_package(Eigen3 REQUIRED)
@@ -224,7 +233,7 @@ if(GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN)
     set(GTSAM_EIGEN_INCLUDE_PREFIX "${EIGEN3_INCLUDE_DIR}")
 	
 	# check if MKL is also enabled - can have one or the other, but not both!
-	if(EIGEN_USE_MKL_ALL)
+	if(EIGEN_USE_MKL_ALL AND GTSAM_SYSTEM_EIGEN_MKL_ERROR)
 	  message(FATAL_ERROR "MKL cannot be used together with system-installed Eigen, as MKL support relies on patches which are not yet in the system-installed Eigen. Disable either GTSAM_USE_SYSTEM_EIGEN or GTSAM_WITH_EIGEN_MKL")
 	endif()
 else()