diff --git a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
 
 ninja_required()
 
+speccpu2017_benchmark(RATE)
+
+# CAM4 and its validator are complex to build. We break them up into three targets:
+# ${PROG} the main binary
+# ${VALIDATOR} the validatory binary
+# cam4_netcdf an object library for the netcdf sources
+
 macro(cam4_validator)
   # build and run the cam4 test validator, then check
   # cam4_validate.txt to make sure the test pass.
@@ -26,14 +33,14 @@
   # and filenames are hard coded.
   cmake_parse_arguments(_carg "" "RUN_TYPE" "" ${ARGN})
 
-  set(VALIDATOR cam4_validate-target)
+  set(VALIDATOR cam4_validate-target_${BENCHMARK_SUITE_TYPE})
   if (NOT TARGET ${VALIDATOR})
-    add_executable(${VALIDATOR} "${SRC_DIR}/validate-cam.f90" $<TARGET_OBJECTS:netcdf>)
+    add_executable(${VALIDATOR} "${SRC_DIR}/validate-cam.f90" $<TARGET_OBJECTS:cam4_netcdf>)
   endif ()
 
   llvm_test_verify(
     cd "${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}" &&
-    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r/${VALIDATOR}" 10 0.0035
+    "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${VALIDATOR}" 10 0.0035
     "${DATA_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/compare/h0_ctrl.nc" h0.nc >
     "${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/cam4_validate.txt" &&
     diff -b "${RUN_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/cam4_validate.txt" "${OUTPUT_${_carg_RUN_TYPE}_DIR}/cam4_validate.txt"
@@ -41,23 +48,16 @@
     )
 endmacro ()
 
-speccpu2017_benchmark(RATE)
-
-# two binaries (exe,validator) are in the same directory with
-# overlapping source and ninja gives a hard error during the depency
-# analysis because it leads to duplicate rules for common modules
-# modules. Create a OBJECT library from netcdf sources and re-use the
-# this target
-
-if (NOT TARGET netcdf)
+# Create NETCDF OBJECT library for re-use in main target and validator
+if (NOT TARGET cam4_netcdf)
   file(GLOB netcdf_sources "${SRC_DIR}/netcdf/*.c")
   list(APPEND netcdf_sources "${SRC_DIR}/netcdf/typeSizes.f90"
     "${SRC_DIR}/netcdf/netcdf.f90" 
     "${SRC_DIR}/spec_qsort/spec_qsort.c")
   list(REMOVE_ITEM netcdf_sources "${SRC_DIR}/netcdf/ncio.c")
 
-  add_library(netcdf OBJECT ${netcdf_sources})
-  target_compile_definitions(netcdf PRIVATE SPEC)
+  add_library(cam4_netcdf OBJECT ${netcdf_sources})
+  target_compile_definitions(cam4_netcdf PRIVATE SPEC)
 endif ()
 
 speccpu2017_add_include_dirs(
@@ -69,27 +69,13 @@
 # speed test is recompiled due to additional preprocessor flag, but
 # the netcdf modules are in the build directory for the rate test
 include_directories("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r")
-  
-add_definitions(
-  -DNO_SHR_VMATH
-  -DCO2A
-  -DPERGRO
-  -DPLON=144
-  -DPLAT=96
-  -DPLEV=26
-  -DPCNST=3
-  -DPCOLS=4
-  -DPTRM=1
-  -DPTRN=1
-  -DPTRK=1
-  -DSTAGGERED
-  -D_NETCDF
-  -DNO_R16
-  -DHIDE_MPI
-  -D_MPISERIAL
-  -DNO_MPI2
-  -DSPEC_CASE_FLAG
-)
+
+set(CAM4_C_DEFS "-DNO_SHR_VMATH;-DCO2A;-DPERGRO")
+list(APPEND CAM4_C_DEFS "-DPLON=144;-DPLAT=96;-DPLEV=26;-DPCNST=3;-DPCOLS=4")
+list(APPEND CAM4_C_DEFS "-DPTRM=1;-DPTRN=1;-DPTRK=1")
+list(APPEND CAM4_C_DEFS "-DSTAGGERED;-D_NETCDF;-DNO_R16;-DSPEC_CASE_FLAG")
+
+add_definitions(${CAM4_C_DEFS})
 
 ## test ########################################################################
 
@@ -111,471 +97,75 @@
 
 ################################################################################
 
+# *.F90 files are preprocessed with specpp and written to the CMake build
+# directory. We only list C sources files and Fortran files that don't
+# need to be preprocessed below.
+
 speccpu2017_add_executable(
-  ESMF_BaseMod.F90
-  ESMF_BaseTimeMod.F90
-  ESMF_FractionMod.F90
-  ESMF_CalendarMod.F90
-  ESMF_TimeIntervalMod.F90
-  ESMF_Stubs.F90
-  ESMF_TimeMod.F90
-  ESMF_AlarmMod.F90
-  ESMF_ClockMod.F90
-  ESMF_AlarmClockMod.F90
-  ESMF_Mod.F90
-  cam_logfile.F90
-  debugutilitiesmodule.F90
-  decompmodule.F90
-  shr_kind_mod.F90
-  ghostmodule.F90
-  perf_utils.F90
-  shr_log_mod.F90
-  shr_mpi_mod.F90
-  shr_sys_mod.F90
-  shr_file_mod.F90
-  string_utils.F90
-  namelist_utils.F90
-  perf_mod.F90
-  mod_comm.F90
-  parutilitiesmodule.F90
-  mpishorthand.F90
-  abortutils.F90
-  units.F90
-  spmd_utils.F90
-  fv_control_mod.F90
-  pft_module.F90
-  dynamics_vars.F90
-  FVperf_module.F90
   GPTLget_memusage.c
   GPTLprint_memusage.c
   GPTLutil.c
-  MISR_simulator.F90
-  Meat.F90
-  pmgrid.F90
-  dycore.F90
-  pio_kinds.F90
-  pio_support.F90
-  pio_types.F90
-  pio_msg_mod.F90
-  alloc_mod.F90
-  pio_utils.F90
-  nf_mod.F90
-  pionfput_mod.F90
-  pionfatt_mod.F90
-  pio_spmd_utils.F90
-  calcdisplace_mod.F90
-  box_rearrange.F90
-  rearrange.F90
-  pionfread_mod.F90
-  iompi_mod.F90
-  pionfwrite_mod.F90
-  piodarray.F90
-  ionf_mod.F90
-  calcdecomp.F90
-  pio_mpi_utils.F90
-  piolib_mod.F90
-  pionfget_mod.F90
-  pio.F90
-  shr_timer_mod.F90
-  shr_string_mod.F90
-  shr_const_mod.F90
-  shr_cal_mod.F90
-  time_manager.F90
-  ppgrid.F90
-  physconst.F90
-  constituents.F90
-  commap.F90
-  infnan.F90
-  pspect.F90
-  rgrid.F90
-  spmd_dyn.F90
-  hycoef.F90
-  dyn_grid.F90
-  m_chars.F90
-  m_flow.F90
-  m_stdio.F90
-  m_mpif.F90
-  m_realkinds.F90
-  m_mpif90.F90
-  m_dropdead.F90
-  m_ioutil.F90
-  m_mpout.F90
-  m_die.F90
-  m_MergeSorts.F90
-  phys_grid.F90
-  ioFileMod.F90
-  cam_history_support.F90
-  cam_control_mod.F90
-  m_mall.F90
-  m_String.F90
-  m_rankMerge.F90
-  m_IndexBin_logical.F90
-  m_Permuter.F90
-  m_IndexBin_char.F90
-  m_IndexBin_integer.F90
-  m_SortingTools.F90
-  m_List.F90
-  m_TraceBack.F90
-  m_AttrVect.F90
-  m_GlobalMap.F90
-  m_FcComms.F90
-  m_MCTWorld.F90
-  m_GlobalSegMap.F90
-  m_AttrVectComms.F90
-  m_SparseMatrix.F90
-  m_SparseMatrixDecomp.F90
-  m_SparseMatrixComms.F90
-  m_Navigator.F90
-  m_GlobalToLocal.F90
-  m_SparseMatrixToMaps.F90
-  m_ConvertMaps.F90
-  m_ExchangeMaps.F90
-  m_Router.F90
-  m_Rearranger.F90
-  m_SparseMatrixPlus.F90
-  m_GeneralGrid.F90
-  m_Transfer.F90
-  m_inpak90.F90
-  m_GlobalSegMapComms.F90
-  m_Accumulator.F90
-  m_MatAttrVectMul.F90
-  m_GeneralGridComms.F90
-  mct_mod.F90
-  seq_comm_mct.F90
-  seq_drydep_mod.F90
-  seq_flds_mod.F90
-  seq_io_mod.F90
-  cam_pio_utils.F90
-  sat_hist.F90
-  solar_data.F90
-  shr_orb_mod.F90
-  shr_tInterp_mod.F90
-  shr_stream_mod.F90
-  shr_pcdf_mod.F90
-  shr_mct_mod.F90
-  shr_map_mod.F90
-  shr_ncread_mod.F90
-  shr_dmodel_mod.F90
-  shr_strdata_mod.F90
-  shr_scam_mod.F90
-  wrap_nf.F90
-  scamMod.F90
-  error_messages.F90
-  interpolate_data.F90
-  geopotential.F90
-  ref_pres.F90
-  phys_control.F90
-  physics_types.F90
-  time_utils.F90
-  repro_sum_mod.F90
-  phys_gmean.F90
-  mo_constants.F90
-  m_types.F90
-  mo_flbc.F90
-  chem_surfvals.F90
-  cam_history_buffers.F90
-  filenames.F90
-  cosp_share.F90
-  interp_mod.F90
-  cam_history.F90
-  advect_tend.F90
-  phys_buffer.F90
-  ghg_data.F90
-  radconstants.F90
-  radae.F90
-  quicksort.F90
-  radlw.F90
-  pkg_cldoptics.F90
-  phys_debug_util.F90
-  conv_water.F90
-  param_cldoptics.F90
-  mo_util.F90
-  rad_solar_var.F90
-  cmparray_mod.F90
-  radsw.F90
-  phys_prop.F90
-  rad_constituents.F90
-  wv_saturation.F90
-  modal_aer_opt.F90
-  aer_rad_props.F90
-  camsrfexch_types.F90
-  radiation_data.F90
-  cosp_constants.F90
-  cosp_utils.F90
-  radar_simulator_types.f90
-  cosp_types.F90
-  modis_simulator.F90
-  cosp_modis_simulator.F90
-  cosp_lidar.F90
-  cosp_misr_simulator.F90
-  llnl_stats.F90
-  lmd_ipsl_stats.F90
-  cosp_stats.F90
+  collective.c
+  comm.c
   atmos_lib.f90
   mrgrnk.f90
   array_lib.f90
   format_input.f90
   math_lib.f90
   optics_lib.f90
-  cosp_radar.F90
-  cosp_isccp_simulator.F90
-  cosp_simulator.F90
-  cosp.F90
-  cospsimulator_intr.F90
-  chemistry.F90
-  radheat.F90
-  radiation.F90
-  horizontal_interpolate.F90
-  polar_avg.F90
-  tracer_data.F90
-  prescribed_ghg.F90
-  prescribed_aero.F90
-  trb_mtn_stress.F90
-  phys_debug.F90
-  hb_diff.F90
-  upper_bc.F90
-  molec_diff.F90
-  diffusion_solver.F90
-  eddy_diff.F90
-  vertical_diffusion.F90
-  boundarydata.F90
-  cam3_ozone_data.F90
-  aoa_tracers.F90
-  iondrag.F90
-  cam3_aero_data.F90
-  tracers_suite.F90
-  tracers.F90
-  tropopause.F90
-  prescribed_volcaero.F90
-  prescribed_ozone.F90
-  aircraft_emit.F90
-  modal_aero_deposition.F90
-  aerodep_flx.F90
-  advnce.F90
-  drydep_mod.F90
-  wetdep.F90
-  dust_sediment_mod.F90
-  dust_intr.F90
-  progseasalts_intr.F90
-  scyc.F90
-  aerosol_intr.F90
-  history_scam.F90
-  xpavg_mod.F90
-  ncdio_atm.F90
-  metdata.F90
-  co2_data_flux.F90
-  co2_cycle.F90
-  buffer.F90
-  comsrf.F90
-  restart_physics.F90
-  pfixer.F90
-  ctem.F90
-  diag_module.F90
-  dyn_comp.F90
-  dyn_internal_state.F90
-  restart_dynamics.F90
-  cam_restart.F90
-  readinitial.F90
-  history_defaults.F90
-  error_function.F90
-  uw_conv.F90
-  uwshcu.F90
-  cldwat.F90
-  zm_conv.F90
-  hk_conv.F90
-  convect_shallow.F90
-  cloud_fraction.F90
-  cldwat2m_macro.F90
-  ndrop.F90
-  cldwat2m_micro.F90
-  microp_aero.F90
-  microp_driver.F90
-  pkg_cld_sediment.F90
-  stratiform.F90
-  inidat.F90
-  startup_initialconds.F90
-  inital.F90
-  check_energy.F90
-  dp_coupling.F90
-  fv_prints.F90
-  stepon.F90
-  ionosphere.F90
-  cloud_diagnostics.F90
-  cloud_rad_props.F90
-  tidal_diag.F90
-  constituent_burden.F90
-  cam_diagnostics.F90
-  flux_avg.F90
-  macrop_driver.F90
-  gw_drag.F90
-  zm_conv_intr.F90
-  convect_deep.F90
-  rayleigh_friction.F90
-  majorsp_diffusion.F90
-  sslt_rebin.F90
-  physpkg.F90
-  cam_comp.F90
-  seq_infodata_mod.F90
-  seq_cdata_mod.F90
-  runtime_opts.F90
-  cam_cpl_indices.F90
-  seq_timemgr_mod.F90
-  atm_comp_mct.F90
-  benergy.F90
-  binary_io.F90
-  bnddyi.F90
-  seq_flds_indices.F90
-  seq_diag_mct.F90
-  seq_rearr_mod.F90
-  map_ocnocn_mct.F90
-  mrg_x2s_mct.F90
-  ice_comp_mct.F90
-  mrg_x2o_mct.F90
-  seq_avdata_mod.F90
-  seq_hist_mod.F90
-  mrg_x2a_mct.F90
-  map_iceocn_mct.F90
-  seq_map_mod.F90
-  map_atmlnd_mct.F90
-  map_atmice_mct.F90
-  map_snoglc_mct.F90
-  map_atmocn_mct.F90
-  seq_domain_mct.F90
-  seq_rest_mod.F90
-  mrg_x2l_mct.F90
-  seq_frac_mct.F90
-  shr_flux_mod.F90
-  seq_flux_mct.F90
-  map_lndlnd_mct.F90
-  map_iceice_mct.F90
-  map_glcglc_mct.F90
-  lnd_comp_mct.F90
-  ocn_types.F90
-  ocn_comp.F90
-  ocn_comp_mct.F90
-  map_rofrof_mct.F90
-  map_atmatm_mct.F90
-  map_rofocn_mct.F90
-  shr_mem_mod.F90
-  map_snosno_mct.F90
-  mrg_x2g_mct.F90
-  mrg_x2i_mct.F90
-  glc_comp_mct.F90
-  ccsm_comp_mod.F90
-  ccsm_driver.F90
-  tp_core.F90
-  sw_core.F90
-  cd_core.F90
-  cldsav.F90
-  collective.c
-  comm.c
-  comspe.F90
-  cpslec.F90
-  d2a3dijk.F90
-  d2a3dikj.F90
-  dadadj.F90
-  datetime.F90
-  diag_dynvar_ic.F90
-  mean_module.F90
-  dryairm.F90
   dsd.f90
-  mapz_module.F90
-  epvd.F90
-  esinti.F90
   f_wrappers.c
-  fft99.F90
-  fill_module.F90
-  fort.F90
   gases.f90
-  gauaw_mod.F90
-  geopk.F90
   get_zeits.c
-  gffgch.F90
   gptl.c
   gptl_papi.c
   group.c
   handles.c
   hirsbtpar.f90
   hirsbt.f90
-  icarus.F90
-  initcom.F90
-  initindx.F90
-  intp_util.F90
-  iop_surf.F90
-  lidar_simulator.F90
   list.c
   load_hydrometeor_classes.f90
-  m_AccumulatorComms.F90
-  m_AttrVectReduce.F90
-  m_StrTemplate.F90
-  m_FileResolv.F90
-  m_Filename.F90
-  m_Merge.F90
-  m_SpatialIntegralV.F90
-  m_SpatialIntegral.F90
-  m_zeit.F90
-  marsaglia.F90
-  mcshallow.F90
-  pio_quicksort.F90
-  mct_rearrange.F90
-  miesubs.F90
-  mo_msis_ubc.F90
-  mo_regrider.F90
-  mo_solar_parms.F90
   mpi.c
-  msise00.F90
-  p_d_adjust.F90
   pack.c
-  par_vecsum.F90
-  par_xsum.F90
-  pf_to_mr.F90
-  pio_msg_callbacks.F90
-  pio_msg_getput_callbacks.F90
-  pio_nf_utils.F90
-  pkez.F90
-  prec_scops.F90
-  puminterfaces.F90
-  qneg3.F90
-  qneg4.F90
   radar_simulator.f90
+  radar_simulator_types.f90
   recv.c
-  redistributemodule.F90
   req.c
-  scops.F90
   send.c
-  sgexx.F90
   shr_jlcp.c
-  shr_msg_mod.F90
   shr_vmath_fwrap.c
-  shr_vmath_mod.F90
-  srchutil.F90
-  srfxfer.F90
-  sulchem.F90
-  te_map.F90
   threadutil.c
   time.c
   topology.c
-  tphysac.F90
-  tphysbc.F90
-  tphysidl.F90
-  trac2d.F90
-  trunc.F90
-  tsinti.F90
-  uv3s_update.F90
-  virtem.F90
-  vrtmap.F90
-  wrap_mpi.F90
-  wrf_error_fatal.F90
-  wrf_message.F90
   zeff.f90
-  zenith.F90
 )
 
+# Preprocess *.F90 with specpp, then add sources to ${PROG}
+#
+# CAM4 SRC *.f90 and *.F90 both produce modules with interpendencies
+# Not possible to make seperate TARGETs that are either all *.f90 or
+# all *.F90 because Ninja is then not able to figure out all dependencies.
+file(GLOB CAM4_F90_SRCS ${SRC_DIR}/*.F90)
+
+# Written this way intentionally because rate test uses different
+# compiler definitions.
+if (NOT DEFINED CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS)
+  set(CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS ${CAM4_C_DEFS})
+else ()
+  list(APPEND CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS ${CAM4_C_DEFS})
+endif ()
+
+
+list(APPEND CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS "-DHIDE_MPI;-D_MPISERIAL;-DNO_MPI2")
+list(APPEND CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS "-I${SRC_DIR}/include;-I${SRC_DIR}/netcdf/include")
+speccpu2017_run_specpp(TARGET ${PROG}
+  SRCS ${CAM4_F90_SRCS} DEFS ${CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS})
+
 check_fortran_compiler_flag("-fallow-argument-mismatch" SUPPORTS_FALLOW_ARGUMENT_MISMATCH)
 if (SUPPORTS_FALLOW_ARGUMENT_MISMATCH)
   target_compile_options(${PROG} PRIVATE $<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:Fortran>:-fallow-argument-mismatch>)
 endif ()
 
-target_link_libraries(${PROG} PRIVATE netcdf)
+target_link_libraries(${PROG} PRIVATE cam4_netcdf)
 
 speccpu2017_prepare_rundir()
diff --git a/External/SPEC/CFP2017speed/627.cam4_s/CMakeLists.txt b/External/SPEC/CFP2017speed/627.cam4_s/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/External/SPEC/CFP2017speed/627.cam4_s/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/External/SPEC/CFP2017speed/627.cam4_s/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
 
 speccpu2017_benchmark(SPEED ORIGIN 527.cam4_r)
 
-speccpu2017_inherit(../../CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r)
+set(CAM4_SPECPP_DEFS "-DUSE_COSP")
 
-add_definitions(-DUSE_COSP)
+speccpu2017_inherit(../../CFP2017rate/527.cam4_r)