diff --git a/.github/workflows/non_vendored.yml b/.github/workflows/non_vendored.yml
index 10040462ac..6ee14f06c6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/non_vendored.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/non_vendored.yml
@@ -53,7 +53,12 @@ jobs:
         cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17 -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=ON . && cmake --build build && sudo cmake --install build
         popd
 
-        git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/chipsalliance/UHDM.git
+        git clone --depth 1 --branch v3.11.2 https://github.com/nlohmann/json.git
+        pushd json
+        cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17 -DCMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE=ON -DJSON_BuildTests=OFF . && cmake --build build && sudo cmake --install build
+        popd
+
+        git clone --depth 1 --branch v1.74 https://github.com/chipsalliance/UHDM.git
         pushd UHDM
         cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON -DUHDM_USE_HOST_GTEST=ON -DUHDM_USE_HOST_CAPNP=ON . && cmake --build build && sudo cmake --install build
         popd
@@ -80,7 +85,7 @@ jobs:
         # for any run checks, such as those in the `TestInstall` project
         export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 
-        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$INSTALL_DIR -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_ANTLR=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_GTEST=ON -DSURELOG_WITH_TCMALLOC=OFF -DCMAKE_MODULE_PATH="/usr/share/CMake/Modules;/usr/local/lib/cmake" -S . -B build
+        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=$BUILD_TYPE -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$INSTALL_DIR -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL=ON -DSURELOG_WITH_TCMALLOC=OFF -DCMAKE_MODULE_PATH="/usr/share/CMake/Modules;/usr/local/lib/cmake" -S . -B build
         cmake --build build -j $(nproc)
         cmake --install build
 
@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@ jobs:
         # this shouldnt be necessary, and can't be reproduced outside CI
         export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$INSTALL_DIR
 
-        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DINSTALL_DIR=$INSTALL_DIR -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$INSTALL_DIR -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_ANTLR=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST_GTEST=ON -S tests/TestInstall -B tests/TestInstall/build
+        cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DINSTALL_DIR=$INSTALL_DIR -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$INSTALL_DIR -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON -DSURELOG_USE_HOST=ON -S tests/TestInstall -B tests/TestInstall/build
         cmake --build tests/TestInstall/build -j $(nproc)
 
         echo "-- pkg-config content --"
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index 96eca7d8aa..f620d5a527 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
+# NOTE: Do not expliclty rely on a third party module,
+# as this is not acceptable for several registries
+# and distribution systems. If you add to this file,
+# ensure that you add the requisite optionality to both
+# CMakeLists.txt and .github/workflows/non_vendored.yml
+
 [submodule "third_party/UHDM"]
 	path = third_party/UHDM
 	url = https://github.com/chipsalliance/UHDM.git
-[submodule "third_party/googletest"]
-	path = third_party/googletest
-	url = https://github.com/google/googletest.git
+	branch = v1.74
 [submodule "third_party/antlr4"]
 	path = third_party/antlr4
 	url = https://github.com/antlr/antlr4.git
@@ -11,3 +15,7 @@
 [submodule "third_party/json"]
 	path = third_party/json
 	url = https://github.com/nlohmann/json.git
+	branch = v3.11.2
+[submodule "third_party/googletest"]
+	path = third_party/googletest
+	url = https://github.com/google/googletest.git
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index be4aa2f5a2..7bb1b6c92c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,18 +26,23 @@ option(
   "If buildling with clang++ and libc++(in Linux). To enable with: -DWITH_LIBCXX=On"
   OFF)
 
+option(
+    SURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL
+    "Default to using libraries from host instead of third_party" OFF)
 option(
   SURELOG_USE_HOST_ANTLR
-  "Use Antlr library from host instead of third_party" OFF)
+  "Use Antlr library from host instead of third_party" ${SURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL})
 option(
   SURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM
-  "Use UHDM library from host instead of third_party" OFF)
+  "Use UHDM library from host instead of third_party" ${SURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL})
+option(SURELOG_USE_HOST_JSON
+  "Use nlohmann json from host instead of third_party" ${SURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL})
 option(SURELOG_USE_HOST_CAPNP
   "Use capnproto from host system, not UHDM (if OFF, requires SURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM=OFF)"
   OFF)
 option(
   SURELOG_USE_HOST_GTEST
-  "Use googletest library from host instead of third_party" OFF)
+  "Use googletest library from host instead of third_party" ${SURELOG_USE_HOST_ALL})
 option(
    SURELOG_WITH_TCMALLOC
    "Use tcmalloc if installed" ON)
@@ -125,7 +130,28 @@ else()
   # Requires SURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM=Off
 endif()
 
-add_subdirectory(third_party/json)
+if (SURELOG_USE_HOST_JSON)
+  find_package(nlohmann_json)
+  get_target_property(JSON_INCLUDE_DIR nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
+else()
+  # https://json.nlohmann.me/integration/cmake/#supporting-both
+  set(JSON_BuildTests OFF CACHE INTERNAL "")
+  add_subdirectory(third_party/json)
+  set(JSON_INCLUDE_DIR ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/third_party/json/single_include)
+endif()
+
+#  _   _  ____ _______ ______
+# | \ | |/ __ \__   __|  ____|
+# |  \| | |  | | | |  | |__
+# | . ` | |  | | | |  |  __|
+# | |\  | |__| | | |  | |____
+# |_| \_|\____/  |_|  |______|
+# Do not expliclty rely on a third party module,
+# e.g. add_subdirectory(third_party/...)
+# as this is not acceptable for several registries
+# and distribution systems. Instead, follow the pattern
+# above to have optionality, which can be tested
+# in .github/workflows/non_vendored.yml
 
 # NOTE: Set the global output directories after the subprojects have had their go at it
 set(CMAKE_ARCHIVE_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/lib)
@@ -524,7 +550,7 @@ target_include_directories(surelog PUBLIC
   $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${UHDM_INCLUDE_DIRS}>
   $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>)
 target_include_directories(surelog PUBLIC
-  $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/third_party/json/single_include>
+  $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${JSON_INCLUDE_DIR}>
   $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>)
 
 if (SURELOG_WITH_PYTHON)
diff --git a/tests/TestInstall/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/TestInstall/CMakeLists.txt
index c096a72d5e..70fad4a21c 100644
--- a/tests/TestInstall/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/TestInstall/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,27 +34,22 @@ set(CMAKE_THREAD_PREFER_PTHREAD TRUE)
 set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG TRUE)
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 
-if(SURELOG_USE_HOST_ANTLR)
+if(SURELOG_USE_HOST)
   find_package(ANTLR REQUIRED)
-else()
-  set(ANTLR_LIBRARY antlr4-runtime$<$<BOOL:${WIN32}>:-static>)
-endif()
-
-if(SURELOG_USE_HOST_UHDM)
   find_package(UHDM REQUIRED)
   find_package(CapnProto)
   set(UHDM_LIBRARY uhdm::uhdm)
   set(CAPNPROTO_LIBRARY CapnProto::capnp)
+  find_package(GTest REQUIRED)
+  find_package(nlohmann_json)
+  get_target_property(JSON_INCLUDE_DIR nlohmann_json INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
 else()
+  set(ANTLR_LIBRARY antlr4-runtime$<$<BOOL:${WIN32}>:-static>)
   set(UHDM_LIBRARY uhdm)
   set(UHDM_LIB_DIR "${INSTALL_DIR}/lib/uhdm" "${INSTALL_DIR}/lib64/uhdm")
   set(CAPNPROTO_LIBRARY capnp kj)
 endif()
 
-if(SURELOG_USE_HOST_GTEST)
-  find_package(GTest REQUIRED)
-endif()
-
 # Python
 if (SURELOG_WITH_PYTHON)
   find_package(Python3 3.3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)