diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 257fab7c4..f677b4d46 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ if((CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug") OR
   set(DEBUG_CHECK_ASSERTIONS "1")
   set(LIBROM_FLAGS "${LIBROM_FLAGS} -Wall")
 endif()
-set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}")
+set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_INIT} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT} ${LIBROM_FLAGS}" CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 
 if (CMAKE_HOST_APPLE)
     # Fix linker flags for OSX to use classic linker on XCode 15.0+:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f17655f05..90cb54d91 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ Compilation options:
 
 - -a: Compile a special build for the LLNL codebase: Ardra
 - -d: Compile in debug mode.
+- -f: Specify additional compiler flags
 - -m: Compile with MFEM (required to run the libROM examples)
+- -g: Compile MFEM with GSLib (requires -m)
+- -r: Compile unit tests (requires Googletest)
+- -s: Compile and use a local SCALAPACK
 - -t: Use your own cmake/toolchain
 - -u: Update all of libROM's dependencies.
 
@@ -92,7 +96,9 @@ Docker container [`librom_env`](https://ghcr.io/llnl/librom/librom_env) provides
 
 # libROM CI
 
-libROM leverages GitHub Actions for CI. The CI currently applies only to commits to pull requests.  Unit tests run for all PR commits. Upon the addition of the `LGTM` label, both the unit tests and regression tests run. While the `LGTM` label is still present, all subsequent commits run both unit tests and regression tests. 
+libROM leverages GitHub Actions for CI. The CI currently applies only to commits to pull requests.  Unit tests run for all PR commits. Upon the addition of the `LGTM` label, both the unit tests and regression tests run. While the `LGTM` label is still present, all subsequent commits run both unit tests and regression tests.
+
+To compile and run unit tests locally, build using the `-r` option to `compile.sh` or with `-DENABLE_TESTS=ON`. Building the unit tests will require Googletest to be installed. Unit tests can be run using `ctest` from the root build directory.
 
 # License
 
diff --git a/scripts/compile.sh b/scripts/compile.sh
index 9e43a3a3f..445406d16 100755
--- a/scripts/compile.sh
+++ b/scripts/compile.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ UPDATE_LIBS=false
 INSTALL_SCALAPACK=false
 MFEM_USE_GSLIB="Off"
 MFEM_USE_LAPACK="Off"
+ENABLE_TESTS="Off"
+LIBROM_FLAGS=""
 
 cleanup_dependencies() {
     pushd .
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ cleanup_dependencies() {
 
 
 # Get options
-while getopts "ah:dh:gh:lh:mh:t:uh:sh" o;
+while getopts "ah:dh:gh:lh:mh:t:uh:sh:rh:f:" o;
 do
     case "${o}" in
         a)
@@ -73,6 +75,12 @@ do
         s)
             INSTALL_SCALAPACK=true
             ;;
+        r)
+            ENABLE_TESTS="On"
+            ;;
+        f)
+            LIBROM_FLAGS=${OPTARG}
+            ;;
     *)
             echo "Unknown option."
             exit 1
@@ -152,7 +160,9 @@ if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
   cmake ${REPO_PREFIX} \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE} \
         -DUSE_MFEM=${USE_MFEM} \
-        -DMFEM_USE_GSLIB=${MFEM_USE_GSLIB}
+        -DMFEM_USE_GSLIB=${MFEM_USE_GSLIB} \
+        -DENABLE_TESTS=${ENABLE_TESTS} \
+        -DLIBROM_FLAGS="${LIBROM_FLAGS}"
   check_result $? librom-config
   make
   check_result $? librom-build
@@ -166,7 +176,9 @@ elif [ "$(expr substr $(uname -s) 1 5)" == "Linux" ]; then
         -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=${TOOLCHAIN_FILE} \
         -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE} \
         -DUSE_MFEM=${USE_MFEM} \
-        -DMFEM_USE_GSLIB=${MFEM_USE_GSLIB}
+        -DMFEM_USE_GSLIB=${MFEM_USE_GSLIB} \
+        -DENABLE_TESTS=${ENABLE_TESTS} \
+        -DLIBROM_FLAGS="${LIBROM_FLAGS}"
   check_result $? librom-config
   make -j8
   check_result $? librom-build