diff --git a/xo-callback/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-callback/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-callback/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-callback/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-expression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-expression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100755
--- a/xo-expression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-expression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-interpreter/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-interpreter/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-interpreter/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-interpreter/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-jit/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-jit/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100755
--- a/xo-jit/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-jit/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-object/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-object/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-object/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-object/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-ordinaltree/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-ordinaltree/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index 694d9b5c..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-ordinaltree/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-ordinaltree/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -1,14 +1,41 @@
-if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "prefix"))
-    # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
-    set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/share/cmake)
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------
+# for example:
+#   $ PREFIX=/usr/local   # for example
+#   $ cmake -DCMAKE_MODULE_PATH=prefix -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$PREFIX -B .build
+#
+# will get
+#   CMAKE_MODULE_PATH
+# from xo-cmake-config --cmake-module-path
+#
+# and expect .cmake macros in
+#   CMAKE_MODULE_PATH/xo_macros/xo_cxx.cmake
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+find_program(XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE NAMES xo-cmake-config REQUIRED)
+
+if ("${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}" STREQUAL "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE-NOT_FOUND")
+    message(FATAL "could not find xo-cmake-config executable")
 endif()
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
-    message("-- CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}")
-    message("-- CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
+
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
+        execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
 endif()
 
 # needs to have been installed somewhere on CMAKE_MODULE_PATH,
 # (e.g. from xo-cmake with the same value for CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX)
 #
 include(xo_macros/xo_cxx)
+
+xo_cxx_bootstrap_message()
diff --git a/xo-pyexpression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-pyexpression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-pyexpression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-pyexpression/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-reader/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-reader/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-reader/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-reader/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)
diff --git a/xo-tokenizer/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake b/xo-tokenizer/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
index aba31169..592272c0 100644
--- a/xo-tokenizer/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
+++ b/xo-tokenizer/cmake/xo-bootstrap-macros.cmake
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ endif()
 
 message(STATUS "XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE=${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE}")
 
-if (NOT XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+if (XO_SUBMODULE_BUILD)
+    if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
+        # local version of xo-cmake macros
+        set(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/xo-cmake/cmake")
+        message(STATUS "CMAKE_MODULE_PATH=${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}")
+    endif()
+else()
     if (("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL "") OR ("${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH}" STREQUAL prefix))
         # default to typical install location for xo-project-macros
         execute_process(COMMAND ${XO_CMAKE_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE} --cmake-module-path OUTPUT_VARIABLE CMAKE_MODULE_PATH)