diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ecdec04d5f..8eec0cc509 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -572,6 +572,8 @@ endif()
 # =============================================================================
 add_subdirectory(src/sparse13)
 add_subdirectory(src/gnu)
+add_subdirectory(src/modlunit)
+add_subdirectory(src/nmodl)
 add_subdirectory(src/nrniv)
 
 # Collect the environment variables that are needed to execute NEURON from the build directory. This
diff --git a/cmake/MacroHelper.cmake b/cmake/MacroHelper.cmake
index fa0623c81c..e9e13c6800 100644
--- a/cmake/MacroHelper.cmake
+++ b/cmake/MacroHelper.cmake
@@ -142,30 +142,23 @@ macro(nrn_print_matching_variables prefix_regex)
 endmacro()
 
 # =============================================================================
-# Run nocmodl to convert NMODL to C
+# Run nocmodl to convert NMODL to C++
 # =============================================================================
-macro(nocmodl_mod_to_cpp modfile_basename)
+macro(nocmodl_mod_to_cpp modfile_basename source_dir target_dir)
   set(NOCMODL_SED_EXPR "s/_reg()/_reg_()/")
   if(NOT MSVC)
     set(NOCMODL_SED_EXPR "'${NOCMODL_SED_EXPR}'")
   endif()
-  set(REMOVE_CMAKE_COMMAND "rm")
-  if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.17")
-    set(REMOVE_CMAKE_COMMAND "remove")
-  endif()
   add_custom_command(
-    OUTPUT ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.cpp
+    OUTPUT "${target_dir}/${modfile_basename}.cpp"
     COMMAND
       ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env "MODLUNIT=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/nrnunits.lib"
-      ${NRN_NOCMODL_SANITIZER_ENVIRONMENT} $<TARGET_FILE:nocmodl>
-      ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.mod
-    COMMAND sed ${NOCMODL_SED_EXPR} ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.cpp >
-            ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.cpp
-    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E ${REMOVE_CMAKE_COMMAND}
-            ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.cpp
-    DEPENDS nocmodl ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/${modfile_basename}.mod
-            ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/nrnunits.lib
-    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/src/nrniv)
+      ${NRN_NOCMODL_SANITIZER_ENVIRONMENT} $<TARGET_FILE:nocmodl> -o "${target_dir}"
+      "${source_dir}/${modfile_basename}.mod"
+    COMMAND sed -i -e ${NOCMODL_SED_EXPR} "${target_dir}/${modfile_basename}.cpp"
+    DEPENDS nocmodl "${source_dir}/${modfile_basename}.mod"
+            "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/nrnunits.lib"
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${target_dir})
 endmacro()
 
 # =============================================================================
diff --git a/cmake/NeuronFileLists.cmake b/cmake/NeuronFileLists.cmake
index 309a3f10cb..220da09984 100644
--- a/cmake/NeuronFileLists.cmake
+++ b/cmake/NeuronFileLists.cmake
@@ -349,59 +349,6 @@ set(SCOPMATH_FILES_LIST
 
 set(NRNMPI_FILES_LIST nrnmpi.cpp memory_usage.cpp bbsmpipack.cpp mpispike.cpp)
 
-# built-in mod files
-set(MODFILE_BASE_NAMES
-    apcount
-    exp2syn
-    expsyn
-    feature
-    hh
-    intfire1
-    intfire2
-    intfire4
-    netstim
-    oclmp
-    passive
-    pattern
-    ppmark
-    stim
-    svclmp
-    syn
-    vclmp)
-
-set(MODLUNIT_FILES_LIST
-    consist.cpp
-    declare.cpp
-    init.cpp
-    io.cpp
-    kinunit.cpp
-    list.cpp
-    model.cpp
-    nrnunit.cpp
-    passn.cpp
-    symbol.cpp
-    units.cpp
-    units1.cpp
-    version.cpp)
-
-set(NMODL_FILES_LIST
-    consist.cpp
-    deriv.cpp
-    discrete.cpp
-    init.cpp
-    io.cpp
-    kinetic.cpp
-    list.cpp
-    modl.cpp
-    nocpout.cpp
-    noccout.cpp
-    parsact.cpp
-    netrec_discon.cpp
-    simultan.cpp
-    solve.cpp
-    symbol.cpp
-    version.cpp)
-
 set(IVOS_FILES_LIST observe.cpp resource.cpp)
 
 set(MPI_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE nrnmpi_dynam.h nrnmpi_dynam_cinc nrnmpi_dynam_wrappers.inc)
@@ -428,8 +375,6 @@ set(NRN_IVOC_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ivoc)
 set(NRN_NODEORDEROPTIM_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/coreneuron/permute)
 set(NRN_NRNCVODE_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrncvode)
 set(NRN_NRNIV_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrniv)
-set(NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/modlunit)
-set(NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nmodl)
 set(NRN_IVOS_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ivos)
 set(NRN_MUSIC_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/neuronmusic)
 set(NRN_PARALLEL_SRC_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/parallel)
@@ -457,11 +402,8 @@ nrn_create_file_list(NRN_SPARSE_SRC_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/sparse ${SPA
 nrn_create_file_list(NRN_SCOPMATH_SRC_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/scopmath
                      ${SCOPMATH_FILES_LIST})
 nrn_create_file_list(NRN_NRNMPI_SRC_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrnmpi ${NRNMPI_FILES_LIST})
-nrn_create_file_list(NRN_MODFILE_BASE_NAMES src/nrnoc ${MODFILE_BASE_NAMES})
 nrn_create_file_list(NRN_BIN_SRC_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ivoc/ nrnmain.cpp)
 nrn_create_file_list(NRN_BIN_SRC_FILES ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/oc/ ockludge.cpp modlreg.cpp)
-nrn_create_file_list(NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_FILES ${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR} ${MODLUNIT_FILES_LIST})
-nrn_create_file_list(NRN_NMODL_SRC_FILES ${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR} ${NMODL_FILES_LIST})
 nrn_create_file_list(NRNMPI_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_FILE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrnmpi
                      ${MPI_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE})
 nrn_create_file_list(NRN_IVOS_SRC_FILES ${NRN_IVOS_SRC_DIR} ${IVOS_FILES_LIST})
diff --git a/src/modlunit/CMakeLists.txt b/src/modlunit/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..803563eb45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/modlunit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+flex_target(modlunit_lex lex.lpp ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lex.cpp)
+bison_target(modlunit_parse parse1.ypp ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.cpp
+             DEFINES_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.hpp)
+
+add_executable(
+  modlunit
+  consist.cpp
+  declare.cpp
+  init.cpp
+  io.cpp
+  kinunit.cpp
+  list.cpp
+  model.cpp
+  nrnunit.cpp
+  passn.cpp
+  symbol.cpp
+  units.cpp
+  units1.cpp
+  version.cpp
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lex.cpp"
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.cpp")
+target_compile_definitions(modlunit PRIVATE NRNUNIT=1)
+cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET modlunit)
+target_include_directories(
+  modlunit PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src"
+                   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}")
+
+if(NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS)
+  target_compile_options(modlunit PRIVATE ${NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS})
+endif()
+
+install(TARGETS modlunit DESTINATION bin)
diff --git a/src/modlunit/model.h b/src/modlunit/model.h
index fcc644d6b0..8552a50b44 100644
--- a/src/modlunit/model.h
+++ b/src/modlunit/model.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* /local/src/master/nrn/src/modlunit/model.h,v 1.2 1997/11/24 16:19:13 hines Exp */
-#include "wrap_sprintf.h"
+#include "utils/wrap_sprintf.hpp"
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
diff --git a/src/modlunit/units.cpp b/src/modlunit/units.cpp
index f8ff9a0d79..3c325c3f20 100644
--- a/src/modlunit/units.cpp
+++ b/src/modlunit/units.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 /* /local/src/master/nrn/src/modlunit/units.c,v 1.5 1997/11/24 16:19:13 hines Exp */
 /* Mostly from Berkeley */
 #include "model.h"
-#include "nrnassrt.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <signal.h>
diff --git a/src/nmodl/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nmodl/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..64bc08ee85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nmodl/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+flex_target(nocmodl_lex lex.lpp ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lex.cpp)
+bison_target(nocmodl_parse parse1.ypp ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.cpp
+             DEFINES_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.hpp)
+bison_target(nocmodl_diffeq diffeq.ypp ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/diffeq.cpp
+             DEFINES_FILE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/diffeq.hpp)
+
+add_custom_target(
+  nocmodl_generated_files
+  DEPENDS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lex.cpp" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.hpp"
+          "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.cpp" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/diffeq.hpp"
+          "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/diffeq.cpp")
+# add_dependencies(generated_source_files nocmodl_generated_files)
+add_executable(
+  nocmodl
+  consist.cpp
+  deriv.cpp
+  discrete.cpp
+  init.cpp
+  io.cpp
+  kinetic.cpp
+  list.cpp
+  modl.cpp
+  nocpout.cpp
+  noccout.cpp
+  parsact.cpp
+  netrec_discon.cpp
+  simultan.cpp
+  solve.cpp
+  symbol.cpp
+  ../modlunit/units.cpp
+  version.cpp
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lex.cpp"
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/parse1.cpp"
+  "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/diffeq.cpp")
+cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET nocmodl)
+target_compile_definitions(nocmodl PRIVATE COMPILE_DEFINITIONS NMODL=1 CVODE=1)
+
+# Otherwise the generated code in the binary directory does not find headers in the modlunit source
+# directory and the source files in the source directory do not find generated headers in the binary
+# directory. TODO: (see also coreneuron) fix adding a dependency on CLI11::CLI11 when CLI11 is a
+# submodule. Right now this doesn't work because the CLI11 targets are not exported/installed but
+# coreneuron-core is.
+get_target_property(CLI11_HEADER_DIRECTORY CLI11::CLI11 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
+target_include_directories(
+  nocmodl PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"
+                  "${CLI11_HEADER_DIRECTORY}" "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src")
+if(NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS)
+  target_compile_options(nocmodl PRIVATE ${NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS})
+endif()
+
+install(TARGETS nocmodl DESTINATION bin)
diff --git a/src/nmodl/modl.h b/src/nmodl/modl.h
index 0da34de44f..ee5d292dc1 100644
--- a/src/nmodl/modl.h
+++ b/src/nmodl/modl.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #pragma once
-#include "wrap_sprintf.h"
+#include "utils/wrap_sprintf.hpp"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
diff --git a/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
index 3c881e67d8..d354e932d0 100644
--- a/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,126 +13,18 @@ if(NRN_AVOID_ABSOLUTE_PATHS)
   add_compile_definitions(NRN_AVOID_ABSOLUTE_PATHS)
 endif()
 
-# =============================================================================
-# Build modlunit : Mod file units checker
-# =============================================================================
-set(BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}")
-set(NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/modlunit_generated")
-file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR}")
-# Run flex and bison with relative paths, so absolute paths are not present in the generated source
-# file because of include, __FILE__ and so on. This improves ccache performance. To generate code
-# coverage correctly, the *relative* paths that are present need to be with respect to the build
-# directory.
-add_custom_command(
-  OUTPUT "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/lex.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
-  COMMAND "${FLEX_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -o "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN_REL}/lex.cpp"
-          "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_REL}/lex.lpp"
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR}/lex.lpp"
-  COMMENT "[FLEX][modlunitlexer] Building scanner with flex ${FLEX_VERSION}")
-add_custom_command(
-  OUTPUT "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/parse1.hpp" "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/parse1.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
-  COMMAND "${BISON_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS "--defines=${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN_REL}/parse1.hpp" -o
-          "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN_REL}/parse1.cpp" "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_REL}/parse1.ypp"
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR}/parse1.ypp"
-  COMMENT "[BISON][modlunitparser] Building parser with bison ${BISON_VERSION}")
-
 add_custom_target(generated_source_files true)
-add_custom_target(modlunit_generated_files DEPENDS "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/lex.cpp"
-                                                   "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/parse1.cpp")
-add_dependencies(generated_source_files modlunit_generated_files)
-add_executable(modlunit ${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_FILES} "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/lex.cpp"
-                        "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/parse1.cpp")
-target_compile_definitions(modlunit PRIVATE NRNUNIT=1)
-cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET modlunit)
-# Generated .cpp needs to find source-directory .hpp and vice versa.
-target_include_directories(modlunit PRIVATE "${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_DIR}" "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}")
-
-if(NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS)
-  target_compile_options(modlunit PRIVATE ${NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS})
-endif()
-
-# =============================================================================
-# Build nocmodl : source-to-source compiler for NMODL
-# =============================================================================
-set(NRN_NMODL_GEN "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/nocmodl_generated")
-file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_NMODL_SRC_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR}")
-add_custom_command(
-  OUTPUT "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/lex.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
-  COMMAND "${FLEX_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS -o "${NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL}/lex.cpp" "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_REL}/lex.lpp"
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR}/lex.lpp"
-  COMMENT "[FLEX][nocmodllexer] Building scanner with flex ${FLEX_VERSION}")
-add_custom_command(
-  OUTPUT "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/parse1.hpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/parse1.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
-  COMMAND "${BISON_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS "--defines=${NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL}/parse1.hpp" -o
-          "${NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL}/parse1.cpp" "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_REL}/parse1.ypp"
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR}/parse1.ypp"
-  COMMENT "[BISON][nocmodlparser] Building parser with bison ${BISON_VERSION}")
-add_custom_command(
-  OUTPUT "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/diffeq.hpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/diffeq.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
-  COMMAND "${BISON_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS "--defines=${NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL}/diffeq.hpp" -o
-          "${NRN_NMODL_GEN_REL}/diffeq.cpp" "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_REL}/diffeq.ypp"
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR}/diffeq.ypp"
-  COMMENT "[BISON][nocmodlparser] Building parser with bison ${BISON_VERSION}")
-
-add_custom_target(
-  nocmodl_generated_files
-  DEPENDS "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/lex.cpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/parse1.hpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/parse1.cpp"
-          "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/diffeq.hpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/diffeq.cpp")
-add_dependencies(generated_source_files nocmodl_generated_files)
-add_executable(nocmodl ${NRN_NMODL_SRC_FILES} "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/lex.cpp"
-                       "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/parse1.cpp" "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}/diffeq.cpp")
-cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET nocmodl)
-target_compile_definitions(nocmodl PRIVATE COMPILE_DEFINITIONS NMODL=1 CVODE=1)
-# Otherwise the generated code in the binary directory does not find headers in the modlunit source
-# directory and the source files in the source directory do not find generated headers in the binary
-# directory. TODO: (see also coreneuron) fix adding a dependency on CLI11::CLI11 when CLI11 is a
-# submodule. Right now this doesn't work because the CLI11 targets are not exported/installed but
-# coreneuron-core is.
-get_target_property(CLI11_HEADER_DIRECTORY CLI11::CLI11 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
-target_include_directories(nocmodl PRIVATE "${NRN_NMODL_GEN}" "${NRN_NMODL_SRC_DIR}"
-                                           "${CLI11_HEADER_DIRECTORY}")
-if(NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS)
-  target_compile_options(nocmodl PRIVATE ${NRN_NMODL_CXX_FLAGS})
-endif()
-
-# =============================================================================
-# Translate all MOD files to C and mark them generated
-# =============================================================================
-foreach(modfile ${NRN_MODFILE_BASE_NAMES})
-  nocmodl_mod_to_cpp(${modfile})
-  list(APPEND NRN_MODFILE_CPP ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/${modfile}.cpp)
-endforeach()
-set_property(
-  SOURCE ${NRN_MODFILE_CPP}
-  APPEND
-  PROPERTY COMPILE_OPTIONS ${NRN_EXTRA_MECH_CXX_FLAGS})
-# we are basically emulating nrnivmodl with CMake here. nrnivmodl uses headers from the include
-# directory in the build or install directory.
-set_property(
-  SOURCE ${NRN_MODFILE_CPP}
-  APPEND
-  PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include)
-set_source_files_properties(${NRN_MODFILE_CPP} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
 
 # =============================================================================
 # Bison parser for HOC interpreter
 # =============================================================================
 set(NRN_OC_GEN "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/oc_generated")
 file(MAKE_DIRECTORY "${NRN_OC_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_OC_GEN_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_OC_GEN}")
-file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_OC_SRC_REL "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}" "${NRN_OC_SRC_DIR}")
+file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_OC_GEN_REL "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" "${NRN_OC_GEN}")
+file(RELATIVE_PATH NRN_OC_SRC_REL "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}" "${NRN_OC_SRC_DIR}")
 add_custom_command(
   OUTPUT "${NRN_OC_GEN}/parse.hpp" "${NRN_OC_GEN}/parse.cpp"
-  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${BISON_FLEX_WORKING_DIR}"
+  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}"
   COMMAND "${BISON_EXECUTABLE}" ARGS "--defines=${NRN_OC_GEN_REL}/parse.hpp" -o
           "${NRN_OC_GEN_REL}/parse.cpp" "${NRN_OC_SRC_REL}/parse.ypp"
   DEPENDS "${NRN_OC_SRC_DIR}/parse.ypp"
@@ -144,6 +36,7 @@ set(NRN_OC_GENERATED_SOURCES
     "${NRN_OC_GEN}"
     PARENT_SCOPE)
 
+add_subdirectory(../nrnoc ../nrnoc)
 # =============================================================================
 # Source code lists
 # =============================================================================
@@ -154,7 +47,6 @@ set(NRN_NRNIV_LIB_SRC_FILES
     ${NRN_NRNIV_SRC_FILES}
     ${NRN_NRNOC_SRC_FILES}
     ${NRN_OC_SRC_FILES}
-    ${NRN_MODFILE_CPP}
     ${NRN_SCOPMATH_SRC_FILES}
     ${NRN_SPARSE_SRC_FILES}
     ${NRN_SUNDIALS_SRC_FILES}
@@ -401,6 +293,7 @@ include_directories(${NRN_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 add_library(nrniv_lib ${NRN_LIBRARY_TYPE} ${NRN_NRNIV_LIB_SRC_FILES})
 target_link_libraries(nrniv_lib nrngnu)
 target_link_libraries(nrniv_lib sparse13)
+target_link_libraries(nrniv_lib default_mods)
 target_include_directories(nrniv_lib SYSTEM PUBLIC ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/${NRN_3RDPARTY_DIR}/eigen)
 cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET nrniv_lib)
 # Source-directory .cpp needs to find generated .hpp.
@@ -523,12 +416,6 @@ else()
   target_link_libraries(nrniv_lib ${X11_LIBRARIES})
 endif()
 
-if(NRN_COVERAGE_FILES)
-  target_link_libraries(nrniv_lib ${NRN_COVERAGE_LIB})
-  target_link_libraries(modlunit ${NRN_COVERAGE_LIB})
-  target_link_libraries(nocmodl ${NRN_COVERAGE_LIB})
-endif()
-
 # =============================================================================
 # Final executable
 # =============================================================================
@@ -558,7 +445,7 @@ endif()
 # For now, we keep this distinction as it reduces the PATH and is
 # expected when ctypes looks for dlls
 # ~~~
-install(TARGETS nrniv nocmodl modlunit DESTINATION bin)
+install(TARGETS nrniv DESTINATION bin)
 install(TARGETS nrniv_lib DESTINATION ${NRN_INSTALL_SHARE_LIB_DIR})
 if(LIBIVX11DYNAM_NAME)
   install(FILES ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/lib/${LIBIVX11DYNAM_NAME} DESTINATION lib)
diff --git a/src/nrnoc/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nrnoc/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eeb2352127
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/nrnoc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Compile mod files
+set(MODFILE_BASE_NAMES
+    apcount
+    exp2syn
+    expsyn
+    feature
+    hh
+    intfire1
+    intfire2
+    intfire4
+    netstim
+    oclmp
+    passive
+    pattern
+    ppmark
+    stim
+    svclmp
+    syn
+    vclmp)
+foreach(modfile ${MODFILE_BASE_NAMES})
+  nocmodl_mod_to_cpp("${modfile}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
+  list(APPEND NRN_MODFILE_CPP "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${modfile}.cpp")
+endforeach()
+set_property(
+  SOURCE ${NRN_MODFILE_CPP}
+  APPEND
+  PROPERTY COMPILE_OPTIONS ${NRN_EXTRA_MECH_CXX_FLAGS})
+# we are basically emulating nrnivmodl with CMake here. nrnivmodl uses headers from the include
+# directory in the build or install directory.
+set_source_files_properties(${NRN_MODFILE_CPP} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
+
+# Create a static library from mod files to be included in nrniv
+add_library(default_mods STATIC ${NRN_MODFILE_CPP})
+add_dependencies(default_mods copy_headers_to_build)
+target_include_directories(default_mods PRIVATE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include")
+set_property(TARGET default_mods PROPERTY POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
diff --git a/src/utils/wrap_sprintf.hpp b/src/utils/wrap_sprintf.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bba7ddd80f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/wrap_sprintf.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <utility>  // std::forward
+
+namespace neuron {
+/**
+ * @brief Redirect sprintf to snprintf if the buffer size can be deduced.
+ *
+ * This is useful to avoid deprecation warnings for sprintf. In general it works if the buffer is
+ * something like char buf[512] in the calling scope, but not if it is char* or char buf[].
+ */
+template <std::size_t N, typename... Args>
+int Sprintf(char (&buf)[N], const char* fmt, Args&&... args) {
+    if constexpr (sizeof...(Args) == 0) {
+        // try and work around a false positive from -Wformat-security when there are no arguments
+        return std::snprintf(buf, N, "%s", fmt);
+    } else {
+        return std::snprintf(buf, N, fmt, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
+    }
+}
+}  // namespace neuron