diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
index e8c5b02ed3..9d273706cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
@@ -207,40 +207,70 @@ jobs:
           [ ! -d "build/src/tests/googletest-src" ]
 
   cmake-system-sexpp:
+    name: system-sexpp, sexpp shared libs ${{ matrix.sexpp_shared_libs }}, rnp shared libs ${{ matrix.rnp_shared_libs }}
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'skip ci')"
     timeout-minutes: 30
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        sexpp_shared_libs: [ 'on' ]
+        rnp_shared_libs: ['on']
+
     steps:
-      - name: Checkout
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get -y update
+          sudo apt-get -y install cmake libjson-c-dev libbotan-2-dev asciidoctor
+
+      - name: Checkout sexpp
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
-          fetch-depth: 1
-          submodules: true
+          repository: rnpgp/sexpp
+          path: sexpp
 
-      - name: Install dependencies
+      - name: Configure sexpp
         run: |
-          sudo apt-get -y update
-          sudo apt-get -y install cmake libjson-c-dev libbotan-2-dev asciidoctor googletest
+          echo CORES="$(nproc --all)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          cmake -S sexpp -B sexpp/build       \
+                -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release    \
+                -DDOWNLOAD_GTEST=ON           \
+                -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=${{ matrix.sexpp_shared_libs}}
+
+      - name: Build sexpp
+        run: cmake --build sexpp/build  --parallel ${{ env.CORES }}
+
+      - name: Install sexpp
+        run: sudo cmake --install sexpp/build
+
+      - name: Clean sexpp
+        run: rm -rf sexpp
+
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 1
+          submodules: false
 
       - name: Configure
         run: |
-          echo CORES="$(nproc --all)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-          cmake -B build   -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON              \
-                           -DCRYPTO_BACKEND=botan              \
-                           -DDOWNLOAD_GTEST=OFF                \
-                           -DSYSTEM_SEXPP=ON                   \ 
-                           -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release          .
-  
+          cmake -B build                                           \
+                -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=${{ matrix.rnp_shared_libs }}  \
+                -DCRYPTO_BACKEND=botan                             \
+                -DDOWNLOAD_GTEST=ON                                \
+                -DSYSTEM_LIBSEXPP=ON                               \
+                -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release                         .
+
       - name: Build
         run: cmake --build build --parallel ${{ env.CORES }}
-  
+
       - name: Test
         run: |
           mkdir -p "build/Testing/Temporary"
           cp "cmake/CTestCostData.txt" "build/Testing/Temporary"
           export PATH="$PWD/build/src/lib:$PATH"
           ctest --parallel ${{ env.CORES }} --test-dir build -C Debug --output-on-failure
-  
+
   package-source:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, 'skip ci')"
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5310bb112e..d649275402 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ option(ENABLE_COVERAGE "Enable code coverage testing.")
 option(ENABLE_SANITIZERS "Enable ASan and other sanitizers.")
 option(ENABLE_FUZZERS "Enable fuzz targets.")
 option(DOWNLOAD_GTEST "Download Googletest" On)
-option(SYSTEM_LIBSEXP "Use system sexp library" OFF)
+option(SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP "Use system sexpp library" OFF)
 
 # crypto components
 function(tristate_feature_auto NAME DESCRIPTION)
@@ -184,11 +184,14 @@ if (ENABLE_FUZZERS)
 endif()
 add_subdirectory(src/common)
 
-if (SYSTEM_LIBSEXP)
+if (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)
   find_package(PkgConfig)
-  pkg_check_modules(REQUIRED sexpp>=0.8.5)
-else (SYSTEM_LIBSEXP)
-# force static libsexpp 
+  pkg_check_modules(REQUIRED sexpp>=0.8.7)
+else (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)
+# If we use system libsexpp is not used we build sexpp static library
+# If librnp is shared, libsexpp.a is a transient artifact which is hidden from
+# the end user. 
+# If librnp is static we install libsexpp.a aside
   set(SAVED_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS})
   set(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS OFF)
   set(WITH_SEXP_CLI OFF)
@@ -196,7 +199,7 @@ else (SYSTEM_LIBSEXP)
   set(CMAKE_INSTALL_DEFAULT_COMPONENT_NAME development)
   add_subdirectory(src/libsexpp EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
   set(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS ${SAVED_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS})
-endif (SYSTEM_LIBSEXP)
+endif (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)
 
 add_subdirectory(src/lib)
 add_subdirectory(src/rnp)
diff --git a/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index d21ba7b679..19059c2fae 100755
--- a/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -431,8 +431,8 @@ endif()
 # On Unix like systems we will build/install/pack either shared library librnp.so or static  librnp.a
 # On Windows we will build/install/pack either dynamic and import libraries rnp.dll, rnp.lib or static library rnp-static.lib
 
-# If a client application uses shared rnp library, sexp is statically linked to librnp.so and libsexp.a is not installed
-# If a client application uses static rnp library, it still needs libsexp.a and it is installed
+# If a client application uses shared rnp library, sexpp is statically linked to librnp.so and libsexpp.a is not installed
+# If a client application uses static rnp library, it still needs libsexpp.a and it is installed
 
 if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
   install(TARGETS librnp
@@ -455,13 +455,23 @@ if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
     )
   endif(WIN32)
 else(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
-# static libraries only
-  install(TARGETS librnp sexpp
+# static libraries
+# install libsexpp unless system-installed libsexpp is used
+  if (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)
+    install(TARGETS librnp
+      EXPORT rnp-targets
+      ARCHIVE
+        DESTINATION  "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}"
+        COMPONENT development
+    )
+  else (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)       
+    install(TARGETS librnp sexpp
     EXPORT rnp-targets
     ARCHIVE
       DESTINATION  "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}"
       COMPONENT development
-  )
+    )
+  endif (SYSTEM_LIBSEXPP)       
 endif(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
 
 # install headers