diff --git a/.github/workflows/checks.yml b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
index 6278d1aba7..9ec28213c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
@@ -29,18 +29,31 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       uses: mozilla-actions/sccache-action@v0.0.3
-      
+    
+    - name: Get CMake
+      uses: lukka/get-cmake@latest
+      with:
+        cmakeVersion: '3.16.3'
+
+    - name: Print CMake version
+      run: cmake --version
+
     - name: configure
-      run: cmake --preset ci-release-checks -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=clang -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=clang++ .
+      run: >
+        cmake
+        -B build
+        -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+        -D MRTRIX_STL_DEBUGGING=ON
+        -D MRTRIX_WARNING_AS_ERRORS=ON
 
     - name: build
-      run: cmake --build ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: cmake --build build
 
     - name: unit tests
-      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir build
 
     - name: binary tests
-      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir build
 
   linux-gcc-build:
 
@@ -63,18 +76,31 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       uses: mozilla-actions/sccache-action@v0.0.3
-      
+    
+    - name: Get CMake
+      uses: lukka/get-cmake@latest
+      with:
+        cmakeVersion: '3.16.3'
+    
+    - name: Print CMake version
+      run: cmake --version
+
     - name: configure
-      run: cmake --preset ci-release-checks
+      run: >
+        cmake
+        -B build
+        -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+        -D MRTRIX_STL_DEBUGGING=ON
+        -D MRTRIX_WARNING_AS_ERRORS=ON
 
     - name: build
-      run: cmake --build ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: cmake --build build
 
     - name: unit tests
-      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir build
 
     - name: binary tests
-      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir build
 
   macos-build:
 
@@ -99,19 +125,34 @@ jobs:
     - name: Run sccache-cache
       uses: mozilla-actions/sccache-action@v0.0.3
 
+    - name: Run sccache-cache
+      uses: mozilla-actions/sccache-action@v0.0.3
+  
+    - name: Get CMake
+      uses: lukka/get-cmake@latest
+      with:
+        cmakeVersion: '3.16.3'
+
+    - name: Print CMake version
+      run: cmake --version
+
     - name: configure
-      run: |
-        export PATH=/usr/local/opt/qt5/bin:$PATH
-        cmake --preset ci-release-checks
+      run: >
+        export PATH=/usr/local/opt/qt5/bin:$PATH;
+        cmake
+        -B build
+        -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+        -D MRTRIX_STL_DEBUGGING=ON
+        -D MRTRIX_WARNING_AS_ERRORS=ON
 
     - name: build
-      run: cmake --build ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: cmake --build build
 
     - name: unit tests
-      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R unit --test-dir build
 
     - name: binary tests
-      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+      run: ctest -R bin --test-dir build
 
   windows-build:
 
@@ -160,18 +201,24 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           export SCCACHE_UNIX_PATH=$(cygpath -u "$SCCACHE_PATH")
           echo "SCCACHE_UNIX_PATH=$SCCACHE_UNIX_PATH" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          
+      
       - name: configure
-        run: cmake --preset ci-release-checks -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=${{env.SCCACHE_UNIX_PATH}} .
+        run: >
+            cmake
+            -B build
+            -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
+            -D MRTRIX_STL_DEBUGGING=ON
+            -D MRTRIX_WARNING_AS_ERRORS=ON
+            -D CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=${{env.SCCACHE_UNIX_PATH}} .
 
       - name: build
-        run: cmake --build ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+        run: cmake --build build
       
       - name: unit tests
-        run: ctest -R unit --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+        run: ctest -R unit --test-dir build
   
       - name: binary tests
-        run: ctest -R bin --test-dir ../mrtrix3-build-ci-release-checks
+        run: ctest -R bin --test-dir build
 
   secondary-checks:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -199,4 +246,4 @@ jobs:
       run: ./update_copyright && git diff --exit-code
 
     - name: check building of documentation
-      run: python3 -m sphinx -n -N -W -w sphinx.log docs/ tmp/
\ No newline at end of file
+      run: python3 -m sphinx -n -N -W -w sphinx.log docs/ tmp/
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 374b1eb214..5fc68ac78f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.21 FATAL_ERROR)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16 FATAL_ERROR)
 
 project(mrtrix3 VERSION 3.0.4)
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ option(MRTRIX_STL_DEBUGGING "Enable STL debug mode" OFF)
 option(MRTRIX_BUILD_TESTS "Build tests executables" OFF)
 
 if(MRTRIX_BUILD_TESTS)
-    list(APPEND CMAKE_CTEST_ARGUMENTS "--output-on-failure")
     enable_testing()
 endif()
 
@@ -28,6 +27,14 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
+
+if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.21)
+  get_property(not_top DIRECTORY PROPERTY PARENT_DIRECTORY)
+  if(NOT not_top)
+    set(PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL true)
+  endif()
+endif()
+
 if(APPLE)
     set(base @loader_path)
 else()