diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1b8ce3cde3..e2c6f9b41f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ doc/[Dd]oxygen/man
 # untracked configuration files
 /etc/prefs.csh
 /etc/prefs.sh
+/etc/config/*.csh
+/etc/config/*.sh
 
 # source packages - anywhere
 *.tar.bz2
diff --git a/etc/config/compiler.csh-EXAMPLE b/etc/config/compiler.csh-EXAMPLE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d54edbd47
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config/compiler.csh-EXAMPLE
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#----------------------------------*-sh-*--------------------------------------
+# =========                 |
+# \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+#  \\    /   O peration     |
+#   \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
+#    \\/     M anipulation  |
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# License
+#     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+#     the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+#     (at your option) any later version.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#     ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+#     FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+#     for more details.
+#
+#     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#     along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# File
+#     config/compiler.csh
+#
+# Description
+#     Fine tuning of ThirdParty compiler settings for OpenFOAM
+#     Sourced from OpenFOAM-<VERSION>/etc/settings.csh
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Modified compiler settings
+switch ("$WM_COMPILER")
+case Gcc46:
+case Gcc46++0x:
+    set gcc_version=gcc-4.6.0
+    set gmp_version=gmp-5.0.1
+    set mpfr_version=mpfr-2.4.2
+    set mpc_version=mpc-0.8.1
+    breaksw
+case Gcc45:
+case Gcc45++0x:
+    set gcc_version=gcc-4.5.2
+    set gmp_version=gmp-5.0.1
+    set mpfr_version=mpfr-2.4.2
+    set mpc_version=mpc-0.8.1
+    breaksw
+endsw
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------- end-of-file
diff --git a/etc/config/compiler.sh-EXAMPLE b/etc/config/compiler.sh-EXAMPLE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc6aada36e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config/compiler.sh-EXAMPLE
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#----------------------------------*-sh-*--------------------------------------
+# =========                 |
+# \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+#  \\    /   O peration     |
+#   \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
+#    \\/     M anipulation  |
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# License
+#     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+#     the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+#     (at your option) any later version.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#     ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+#     FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+#     for more details.
+#
+#     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#     along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# File
+#     config/compiler.sh
+#
+# Description
+#     Fine tuning of ThirdParty compiler settings for OpenFOAM
+#     Sourced from OpenFOAM-<VERSION>/etc/settings.sh
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Modified compiler settings
+case "$WM_COMPILER" in
+Gcc46 | Gcc46++0x)
+    gcc_version=gcc-4.6.0
+    gmp_version=gmp-5.0.1
+    mpfr_version=mpfr-2.4.2
+    mpc_version=mpc-0.8.1
+    ;;
+Gcc45 | Gcc45++0x)
+    gcc_version=gcc-4.5.2
+    gmp_version=gmp-5.0.1
+    mpfr_version=mpfr-2.4.2
+    mpc_version=mpc-0.8.1
+    ;;
+esac
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------- end-of-file
diff --git a/etc/config/openmpi.csh-EXAMPLE b/etc/config/openmpi.csh-EXAMPLE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..94be702e9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config/openmpi.csh-EXAMPLE
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#----------------------------------*-sh-*--------------------------------------
+# =========                 |
+# \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+#  \\    /   O peration     |
+#   \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
+#    \\/     M anipulation  |
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# License
+#     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+#     the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+#     (at your option) any later version.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#     ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+#     FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+#     for more details.
+#
+#     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#     along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# File
+#     config/openmpi.csh
+#
+# Description
+#     Fine tuning of openmpi settings for OpenFOAM
+#     Sourced from OpenFOAM-<VERSION>/etc/settings.csh
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Modified openmpi settings
+setenv FOAM_MPI openmpi-1.4.3
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------- end-of-file
diff --git a/etc/config/openmpi.sh-EXAMPLE b/etc/config/openmpi.sh-EXAMPLE
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b7c5035b04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/config/openmpi.sh-EXAMPLE
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#----------------------------------*-sh-*--------------------------------------
+# =========                 |
+# \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+#  \\    /   O peration     |
+#   \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2011 OpenCFD Ltd.
+#    \\/     M anipulation  |
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# License
+#     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+#     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+#     the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+#     (at your option) any later version.
+#
+#     OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+#     ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+#     FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+#     for more details.
+#
+#     You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+#     along with OpenFOAM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# File
+#     config/openmpi.sh
+#
+# Description
+#     Fine tuning of openmpi settings for OpenFOAM
+#     Sourced from OpenFOAM-<VERSION>/etc/settings.sh
+#
+#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+# Modified openmpi settings
+export FOAM_MPI=openmpi-1.4.3
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------------- end-of-file
diff --git a/etc/settings.csh b/etc/settings.csh
index 0e15cef31e..b63999dccb 100644
--- a/etc/settings.csh
+++ b/etc/settings.csh
@@ -248,6 +248,9 @@ case ThirdParty:
         breaksw
     endsw
 
+    # optional configuration tweaks:
+    _foamSource `$WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/foamEtcFile config/compiler.csh`
+
     if ( $?gcc_version ) then
         set gccDir=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER_ARCH/$gcc_version
         set gmpDir=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER_ARCH/$gmp_version
@@ -367,8 +370,10 @@ unsetenv MPI_ARCH_PATH MPI_HOME FOAM_MPI_LIBBIN
 
 switch ("$WM_MPLIB")
 case OPENMPI:
-    #setenv FOAM_MPI openmpi-1.4.3
     setenv FOAM_MPI openmpi-1.5.3
+    # optional configuration tweaks:
+    _foamSource `$WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/foamEtcFile config/openmpi.csh`
+
     setenv MPI_ARCH_PATH $WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$FOAM_MPI
 
     # Tell OpenMPI where to find its install directory
diff --git a/etc/settings.sh b/etc/settings.sh
index f3ccaebb18..ec9b33041e 100644
--- a/etc/settings.sh
+++ b/etc/settings.sh
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ OpenFOAM | ThirdParty)
         ;;
     esac
 
+    # optional configuration tweaks:
+    _foamSource `$WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/foamEtcFile config/compiler.sh`
+
     if [ -n "$gcc_version" ]
     then
         gccDir=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER_ARCH/$gcc_version
@@ -387,8 +390,10 @@ unset MPI_ARCH_PATH MPI_HOME FOAM_MPI_LIBBIN
 
 case "$WM_MPLIB" in
 OPENMPI)
-    #export FOAM_MPI=openmpi-1.4.3
     export FOAM_MPI=openmpi-1.5.3
+    # optional configuration tweaks:
+    _foamSource `$WM_PROJECT_DIR/bin/foamEtcFile config/openmpi.sh`
+
     export MPI_ARCH_PATH=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$FOAM_MPI
 
     # Tell OpenMPI where to find its install directory