diff --git a/buildsupport/custom_modules/waf_workaround_fakeconfig.cmake b/buildsupport/custom_modules/waf_workaround_fakeconfig.cmake
index f9514e652..9780ba5c5 100644
--- a/buildsupport/custom_modules/waf_workaround_fakeconfig.cmake
+++ b/buildsupport/custom_modules/waf_workaround_fakeconfig.cmake
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ macro(write_fakewaf_config)
   check_on_or_off("${NS3_DES_METRICS}" "${NS3_DES_METRICS}")
 
   string(APPEND out "DPDK NetDevice                : ")
-  check_on_or_off("ON" "${ENABLE_DPDKDEVNET}")
+  check_on_or_off("${NS3_DPDK}" "${ENABLE_DPDKDEVNET}")
 
   string(APPEND out "Emulation FdNetDevice         : ")
   check_on_or_off("${ENABLE_EMU}" "${ENABLE_EMUNETDEV}")
diff --git a/buildsupport/macros_and_definitions.cmake b/buildsupport/macros_and_definitions.cmake
index 451465ff8..307fa86a4 100644
--- a/buildsupport/macros_and_definitions.cmake
+++ b/buildsupport/macros_and_definitions.cmake
@@ -415,8 +415,18 @@ macro(process_options)
   mark_as_advanced(CMAKE_FORMAT_PROGRAM)
   find_program(CMAKE_FORMAT_PROGRAM cmake-format HINTS ~/.local/bin)
   if(CMAKE_FORMAT_PROGRAM)
-    file(GLOB_RECURSE MODULES_CMAKE_FILES src/**/CMakeLists.txt contrib/**/CMakeLists.txt examples/**/CMakeLists.txt)
-    file(GLOB INTERNAL_CMAKE_FILES CMakeLists.txt utils/**/CMakeLists.txt src/CMakeLists.txt buildsupport/**/*.cmake)
+    file(GLOB_RECURSE MODULES_CMAKE_FILES src/**/CMakeLists.txt
+         contrib/**/CMakeLists.txt examples/**/CMakeLists.txt
+    )
+    file(
+      GLOB
+      INTERNAL_CMAKE_FILES
+      CMakeLists.txt
+      utils/**/CMakeLists.txt
+      src/CMakeLists.txt
+      buildsupport/**/*.cmake
+      buildsupport/*.cmake
+    )
     add_custom_target(
       cmake-format
       COMMAND
@@ -490,12 +500,10 @@ macro(process_options)
 
   set(ENABLE_SQLITE False)
   if(${NS3_SQLITE})
-    #find_package(SQLite3 QUIET) # unsupported in CMake 3.10
-    # We emulate the behavior of find_package below
+    # find_package(SQLite3 QUIET) # unsupported in CMake 3.10 We emulate the
+    # behavior of find_package below
     find_external_library(
-            DEPENDENCY_NAME SQLite3
-            HEADER_NAME sqlite3.h
-            LIBRARY_NAME sqlite3
+      DEPENDENCY_NAME SQLite3 HEADER_NAME sqlite3.h LIBRARY_NAME sqlite3
     )
 
     if(${SQLite3_FOUND})
@@ -650,17 +658,25 @@ macro(process_options)
     endif()
   endif()
 
-  find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter Development QUIET)
-
-  # Check if python3 was found, and mark as not found if python2 is found
-  if(${Python_FOUND})
-    if(${Python_VERSION_MAJOR} LESS 3)
-      set(Python_FOUND FALSE)
-      message(
-        STATUS
-        "Python: an incompatible version of Python was found, python bindings will be disabled"
-      )
+  # cmake-format: off
+  set(Python_ADDITIONAL_VERSIONS 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11)
+  # cmake-format: on
+  find_package(PythonInterp)
+  set(Python_EXECUTABLE)
+  set(Python_FOUND FALSE)
+  if(${PythonInterp_FOUND})
+    set(Python_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE})
+    find_package(PythonLibs)
+    if(${PythonLibs_FOUND})
+      set(Python_FOUND TRUE)
+    else()
+      message(STATUS "Python: development libraries were not found")
     endif()
+  else()
+    message(
+      STATUS
+        "Python: an incompatible version of Python was found, python bindings will be disabled"
+    )
   endif()
 
   set(ENABLE_PYTHON_BINDINGS OFF)
@@ -668,7 +684,7 @@ macro(process_options)
     if(NOT ${Python_FOUND})
       message(
         STATUS
-        "Bindings: python bindings require Python, but it could not be found"
+          "Bindings: python bindings require Python, but it could not be found"
       )
     else()
       check_python_packages("pybindgen" missing_packages)
@@ -807,6 +823,26 @@ macro(process_options)
       STATUS
         "docs: doxygen documentation not enabled due to missing dependencies: ${doxygen_docs_missing_deps}"
     )
+    # cmake-format: off
+    set(doxygen_missing_msg
+        echo The following Doxygen dependencies are missing: ${doxygen_docs_missing_deps}.
+            Reconfigure the project after installing them.
+    )
+    # cmake-format: on
+
+    # Create stub targets to inform users about missing dependencies
+    add_custom_target(
+      run-print-introspected-doxygen COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg}
+    )
+    add_custom_target(
+      run-introspected-command-line COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg}
+    )
+    add_custom_target(
+      assemble-introspected-command-line COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg}
+    )
+    add_custom_target(update_doxygen_version COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(doxygen COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(doxygen-no-build COMMAND ${doxygen_missing_msg})
   else()
     # We checked this already exists, but we need the path to the executable
     find_package(Doxygen QUIET)
@@ -889,13 +925,26 @@ macro(process_options)
       STATUS
         "docs: sphinx documentation not enabled due to missing dependencies: ${sphinx_docs_missing_deps}"
     )
+    # cmake-format: off
+    set(sphinx_missing_msg
+        echo The following Sphinx dependencies are missing: ${sphinx_docs_missing_deps}.
+            Reconfigure the project after installing them.
+    )
+    # cmake-format: on
+
+    # Create stub targets to inform users about missing dependencies
+    add_custom_target(sphinx COMMAND ${sphinx_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(sphinx_manual COMMAND ${sphinx_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(sphinx_models COMMAND ${sphinx_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(sphinx_tutorial COMMAND ${sphinx_missing_msg})
+    add_custom_target(sphinx_contributing COMMAND ${sphinx_missing_msg})
   else()
     add_custom_target(sphinx COMMENT "Building sphinx documents")
 
     function(sphinx_target targetname)
       add_custom_target(
-        sphinx_${targetname}
-        COMMAND make SPHINXOPTS=-N -k html singlehtml latexpdf
+        sphinx_${targetname} COMMAND make SPHINXOPTS=-N -k html singlehtml
+                                     latexpdf
         WORKING_DIRECTORY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/doc/${targetname}
       )
       add_dependencies(sphinx sphinx_${targetname})
@@ -1101,8 +1150,7 @@ macro(process_options)
   if(${NS3_NETANIM})
     include(FetchContent)
     FetchContent_Declare(
-      netanim
-      GIT_REPOSITORY https://gitlab.com/nsnam/netanim.git
+      netanim GIT_REPOSITORY https://gitlab.com/nsnam/netanim.git
       GIT_TAG netanim-3.108
     )
     FetchContent_Populate(netanim)
@@ -1181,7 +1229,9 @@ macro(build_example)
   set(options)
   set(oneValueArgs NAME)
   set(multiValueArgs SOURCE_FILES HEADER_FILES LIBRARIES_TO_LINK)
-  cmake_parse_arguments("EXAMPLE" "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
+  cmake_parse_arguments(
+    "EXAMPLE" "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN}
+  )
 
   set(missing_dependencies)
   foreach(lib ${EXAMPLE_LIBRARIES_TO_LINK})
@@ -1199,7 +1249,9 @@ macro(build_example)
 
   if(NOT missing_dependencies)
     # Create shared library with sources and headers
-    add_executable(${EXAMPLE_NAME} "${EXAMPLE_SOURCE_FILES}" "${EXAMPLE_HEADER_FILES}")
+    add_executable(
+      ${EXAMPLE_NAME} "${EXAMPLE_SOURCE_FILES}" "${EXAMPLE_HEADER_FILES}"
+    )
 
     if(${NS3_STATIC})
       target_link_libraries(
@@ -1207,7 +1259,8 @@ macro(build_example)
       )
     elseif(${NS3_MONOLIB})
       target_link_libraries(
-        ${EXAMPLE_NAME} ${LIB_AS_NEEDED_PRE} ${lib-ns3-monolib} ${LIB_AS_NEEDED_POST}
+        ${EXAMPLE_NAME} ${LIB_AS_NEEDED_PRE} ${lib-ns3-monolib}
+        ${LIB_AS_NEEDED_POST}
       )
     else()
       # Link the shared library with the libraries passed
@@ -1222,7 +1275,8 @@ macro(build_example)
     endif()
 
     set_runtime_outputdirectory(
-      ${EXAMPLE_NAME} ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/examples/${examplefolder}/ ""
+      ${EXAMPLE_NAME}
+      ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/examples/${examplefolder}/ ""
     )
   endif()
 endmacro()
@@ -1476,11 +1530,12 @@ function(parse_ns3rc enabled_modules examples_enabled tests_enabled)
   endif()
 endfunction(parse_ns3rc)
 
-function(find_external_library
-)
+function(find_external_library)
   set(oneValueArgs DEPENDENCY_NAME HEADER_NAME LIBRARY_NAME)
   set(multiValueArgs HEADER_NAMES LIBRARY_NAMES PATH_SUFFIXES SEARCH_PATHS)
-  cmake_parse_arguments("FIND_LIB" "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN})
+  cmake_parse_arguments(
+    "FIND_LIB" "${options}" "${oneValueArgs}" "${multiValueArgs}" ${ARGN}
+  )
 
   set(name ${FIND_LIB_DEPENDENCY_NAME})
   set(library_names "${FIND_LIB_LIBRARY_NAME};${FIND_LIB_LIBRARY_NAMES}")
@@ -1495,28 +1550,50 @@ function(find_external_library
     mark_as_advanced(${name}_library_internal_${library})
     find_library(
       ${name}_library_internal_${library} ${library}
-      HINTS ${search_paths} ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-      PATH_SUFFIXES /build /lib /build/lib / ${path_suffixes}
+      HINTS ${search_paths}
+            ${CMAKE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} # Search for libraries in ns-3-dev/build
+            ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX} # Search for libraries in the install
+                                    # directory (e.g. /usr/)
+            ENV
+            LD_LIBRARY_PATH # Search for libraries in LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+                            # directories
+            ENV
+            PATH # Search for libraries in PATH directories
+      PATH_SUFFIXES /build /lib /build/lib / /bin ${path_suffixes}
+    )
+    if("${${name}_library_internal_${library}}" STREQUAL
+       "${name}_library_internal_${library}-NOTFOUND"
     )
-    if("${${name}_library_internal_${library}}" STREQUAL "${name}_library_internal_${library}-NOTFOUND")
       list(APPEND not_found_libraries ${library})
     else()
-      get_filename_component(${name}_library_dir_internal ${${name}_library_internal_${library}} DIRECTORY
-      )# e.g. lib/openflow.(so|dll|dylib|a) -> lib
+      get_filename_component(
+        ${name}_library_dir_internal ${${name}_library_internal_${library}}
+        DIRECTORY
+      ) # e.g. lib/openflow.(so|dll|dylib|a) -> lib
       list(APPEND library_dirs ${${name}_library_dir_internal})
       list(APPEND libraries ${${name}_library_internal_${library}})
     endif()
   endforeach()
 
+  # For each library that was found (e.g. /usr/lib/pthread.so), get their parent
+  # directory (/usr/lib) and its parent (/usr)
+  set(parent_dirs)
+  foreach(libdir ${library_dirs})
+    get_filename_component(parent_libdir ${libdir} DIRECTORY)
+    get_filename_component(parent_parent_libdir ${parent_libdir} DIRECTORY)
+    list(APPEND parent_dirs ${parent_libdir} ${parent_parent_libdir})
+  endforeach()
+
   set(not_found_headers)
   set(include_dirs)
   foreach(header ${header_names})
-    mark_as_advanced(${name}_header_internal_${header})
-    string(REPLACE ";" "/../ " upper_dirs "${library_dirs};")
-    string(REPLACE ";" "/../../ " upper_upper_dirs "${library_dirs};")
     find_file(
       ${name}_header_internal_${header} ${header}
-      HINTS ${search_paths} ${upper_dirs} ${upper_upper_dirs}
+      HINTS ${search_paths}
+            ${parent_dirs}
+            ${CMAKE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY} # Search for headers in ns-3-dev/build
+            ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX} # Search for headers in the install
+                                    # directory (e.g. /usr/)
       PATH_SUFFIXES
         /build
         /include
@@ -1527,13 +1604,17 @@ function(find_external_library
         /
         ${path_suffixes}
     )
-    if("${${name}_header_internal_${header}}" STREQUAL "${name}_header_internal_${header}-NOTFOUND")
+    if("${${name}_header_internal_${header}}" STREQUAL
+       "${name}_header_internal_${header}-NOTFOUND"
+    )
       list(APPEND not_found_headers ${header})
     else()
-      get_filename_component(header_include_dir ${${name}_header_internal_${header}} DIRECTORY
-              )# e.g. include/click/ (simclick.h) -> #include <simclick.h> should work
-      get_filename_component(header_include_dir2 ${header_include_dir} DIRECTORY
-              )# e.g. include/(click) -> #include <click/simclick.h> should work
+      get_filename_component(
+        header_include_dir ${${name}_header_internal_${header}} DIRECTORY
+      ) # e.g. include/click/ (simclick.h) -> #include <simclick.h> should work
+      get_filename_component(
+        header_include_dir2 ${header_include_dir} DIRECTORY
+      ) # e.g. include/(click) -> #include <click/simclick.h> should work
       list(APPEND include_dirs ${header_include_dir} ${header_include_dir2})
     endif()
   endforeach()
@@ -1590,8 +1671,7 @@ function(check_python_packages packages missing_packages)
   foreach(package ${packages})
     execute_process(
       COMMAND ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -c "import ${package}"
-      RESULT_VARIABLE return_code
-      OUTPUT_QUIET ERROR_QUIET
+      RESULT_VARIABLE return_code OUTPUT_QUIET ERROR_QUIET
     )
     if(NOT (${return_code} EQUAL 0))
       list(APPEND missing ${package})
diff --git a/ns3 b/ns3
index 3e60ad45b..1fb42179a 100755
--- a/ns3
+++ b/ns3
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ def parse_args(argv):
                                        "(which must call CommandLine::Parse(argc, argv)")
     parser_configure = on_off_argument(parser_configure, "build-version",
                                        "embedding git changes as a build version during build")
+    parser_configure = on_off_argument(parser_configure, "dpdk", "the fd-net-device DPDK features")
     parser_configure = on_off_argument(parser_configure, "examples", "the ns-3 examples")
     parser_configure = on_off_argument(parser_configure, "gcov", "code coverage analysis")
     parser_configure = on_off_argument(parser_configure, "gtk", "GTK support in ConfigStore")
@@ -460,6 +461,7 @@ def configure_cmake(cmake, args, current_cmake_cache_folder, current_cmake_gener
     options = (("ASSERT", "asserts"),
                ("COVERAGE", "gcov"),
                ("DES_METRICS", "des_metrics"),
+               ("DPDK", "dpdk"),
                ("ENABLE_BUILD_VERSION", "build_version"),
                ("ENABLE_SUDO", "sudo"),
                ("EXAMPLES", "examples"),
diff --git a/src/fd-net-device/CMakeLists.txt b/src/fd-net-device/CMakeLists.txt
index 12f00eff9..6d6174c87 100644
--- a/src/fd-net-device/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/fd-net-device/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+option(
+  NS3_DPDK
+  "Enable fd-net-device DPDK features"
+  OFF
+)
+
 set(module_enabled_features) # modulegen_customizations consumes this list
 
 mark_as_advanced(ENABLE_THREADING)
@@ -80,7 +86,8 @@ if(${THREADS_ENABLED}
             ""
   )
 
-  if(PKG_CONFIG_FOUND
+  if(${NS3_DPDK}
+     AND PKG_CONFIG_FOUND
      AND DPDK_FOUND
   )
     set(ENABLE_DPDKDEVNET
diff --git a/utils/tests/test-ns3.py b/utils/tests/test-ns3.py
index 9c38578b1..182a1fd65 100644
--- a/utils/tests/test-ns3.py
+++ b/utils/tests/test-ns3.py
@@ -522,7 +522,8 @@ class NS3ConfigureTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("build core-test")
 
         # Then check if they went back to the original list
-        self.assertGreater(len(stderr), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(return_code, 1)
+        self.assertIn("Target to build does not exist: core-test", stdout)
 
     def test_03_EnableModules(self):
         """!
@@ -938,7 +939,8 @@ class NS3BuildBaseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         """
         # tests are not enabled, so the target isn't available
         return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("build core-test")
-        self.assertGreater(len(stderr), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(return_code, 1)
+        self.assertIn("Target to build does not exist: core-test", stdout)
 
     def test_03_BuildProject(self):
         """!
@@ -1266,6 +1268,12 @@ class NS3BuildBaseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         @return None
         """
 
+        # Skip this test if pybindgen is not available
+        try:
+            import pybindgen
+        except Exception:
+            self.skipTest("Pybindgen is not available")
+
         # First we enable python bindings
         return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("configure --enable-examples --enable-tests --enable-python-bindings")
         self.assertEqual(return_code, 0)
@@ -1499,26 +1507,27 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(return_code, 1)
         self.assertIn("Couldn't find the specified program: nonsense", stderr)
 
-    def test_08_RunNoBuildGdbAndLldb(self):
+    def test_08_RunNoBuildGdb(self):
         """!
         Test if scratch simulator is executed through gdb and lldb
         @return None
         """
+        if shutil.which("gdb") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing gdb")
+
         return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("run scratch-simulator --gdb --verbose --no-build")
         self.assertEqual(return_code, 0)
         self.assertIn("scratch-simulator", stdout)
         self.assertIn("No debugging symbols found", stdout)
 
-        return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("run scratch-simulator --lldb --verbose --no-build")
-        self.assertEqual(return_code, 0)
-        self.assertIn("scratch-simulator", stdout)
-        self.assertIn("(lldb) target create", stdout)
-
     def test_09_RunNoBuildValgrind(self):
         """!
-      Test if scratch simulator is executed through valgrind
-      @return None
-      """
+        Test if scratch simulator is executed through valgrind
+        @return None
+        """
+        if shutil.which("valgrind") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing valgrind")
+
         return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("run scratch-simulator --valgrind --verbose --no-build")
         self.assertEqual(return_code, 0)
         self.assertIn("scratch-simulator", stderr)
@@ -1529,6 +1538,9 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         Test the doxygen target that does trigger a full build
         @return None
         """
+        if shutil.which("doxygen") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing doxygen")
+
         doc_folder = os.path.abspath(os.sep.join([".", "doc"]))
 
         doxygen_files = ["introspected-command-line.h", "introspected-doxygen.h"]
@@ -1552,6 +1564,9 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         Test the doxygen target that doesn't trigger a full build
         @return None
         """
+        if shutil.which("doxygen") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing doxygen")
+
         # Rebuilding dot images is super slow, so not removing doxygen products
         # doc_folder = os.path.abspath(os.sep.join([".", "doc"]))
         # doxygen_build_folder = os.sep.join([doc_folder, "html"])
@@ -1568,6 +1583,9 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         Test every individual target for Sphinx-based documentation
         @return None
         """
+        if shutil.which("sphinx-build") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing sphinx")
+
         doc_folder = os.path.abspath(os.sep.join([".", "doc"]))
 
         # First we need to clean old docs, or it will not make any sense.
@@ -1598,6 +1616,11 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         both doxygen and sphinx based documentation
         @return None
         """
+        if shutil.which("doxygen") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing doxygen")
+        if shutil.which("sphinx-build") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing sphinx")
+
         doc_folder = os.path.abspath(os.sep.join([".", "doc"]))
 
         # First we need to clean old docs, or it will not make any sense.
@@ -1639,7 +1662,7 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
 
         # Skip test if variable containing sudo password is the default value
         if sudo_password is None:
-            return
+            self.skipTest("SUDO_PASSWORD environment variable was not specified")
 
         enable_sudo = read_c4che_entry("ENABLE_SUDO")
         self.assertFalse(enable_sudo is True)
@@ -1670,7 +1693,7 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
                             prev_fstat.st_uid == 0
 
         if sys.platform == "win32" or likely_fuse_mount:
-            return
+            self.skipTest("Windows or likely a FUSE mount")
 
         # If this is a valid platform, we can continue
         self.assertEqual(fstat.st_uid, 0)  # check the file was correctly chown'ed by root
@@ -1787,6 +1810,19 @@ class NS3ExpectedUseTestCase(NS3BaseTestCase):
         self.assertIn("To forward configuration or runtime options, put them after '--'", stderr0)
         self.assertIn("To forward configuration or runtime options, put them after '--'", stderr1)
 
+    def test_18_RunNoBuildLldb(self):
+        """!
+        Test if scratch simulator is executed through lldb
+        @return None
+        """
+        if shutil.which("lldb") is None:
+            self.skipTest("Missing lldb")
+
+        return_code, stdout, stderr = run_ns3("run scratch-simulator --lldb --verbose --no-build")
+        self.assertEqual(return_code, 0)
+        self.assertIn("scratch-simulator", stdout)
+        self.assertIn("(lldb) target create", stdout)
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     loader = unittest.TestLoader()