diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 984b2770c..501fab154 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ endif(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
 ########################################################################
 # Project setup
 ########################################################################
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
 project(gnss-sdr CXX)
 
 #select the release build type by default to get optimization flags
@@ -58,12 +58,12 @@ set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} -O2")
 ################################################################################
 set(GTEST_DIR $ENV{GTEST_DIR})
 if(GTEST_DIR)
-     set(GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR} ${GTEST_DIR}/src)
-     include_directories(${GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES})
-     message("GTEST sources at ${GTEST_DIR}")
+     message("GTEST root folder at ${GTEST_DIR}")
 else()
-     # Download gtest ?
-     message( " GTEST_DIR environment variable not set. ")
+     message (" Googletest has not been found because the variable ")
+     message (" GTEST_DIR is not defined.")
+     message (" Googletest will be downloaded and built automatically ")
+     message (" when doing 'make'. ")
 endif(GTEST_DIR)
 
 
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/FindGTest.cmake b/cmake/Modules/FindGTest.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 5930043ef..000000000
--- a/cmake/Modules/FindGTest.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,187 +0,0 @@
-##############################################################################
-00002 # @file  FindGTest.cmake
-00003 # @brief Find Google Test package.
-00004 #
-00005 # @par Input variables:
-00006 # <table border="0">
-00007 #   <tr>
-00008 #     @tp @b GTest_DIR @endtp
-00009 #     <td>The Google Test package files are searched under the specified
-00010 #         root directory. If they are not found there, the default search
-00011 #         paths are considered.
-00012 #         This variable can also be set as environment variable.</td>
-00013 #   </tr>
-00014 #   <tr>
-00015 #     @tp @b GTEST_DIR @endtp
-00016 #     <td>Alternative environment variable for @p GTest_DIR.</td>
-00017 #   </tr>
-00018 #   <tr>
-00019 #     @tp @b GTest_SHARED_LIBRARIES @endtp
-00020 #     <td>Forces this module to search for shared libraries.
-00021 #         Otherwise, static libraries are preferred.</td>
-00022 #   </tr>
-00023 # </table>
-00024 #
-00025 # @par Output variables:
-00026 # <table border="0">
-00027 #   <tr>
-00028 #     @tp @b GTest_FOUND @endtp
-00029 #     <td>Whether the package was found and the following CMake variables are valid.</td>
-00030 #   </tr>
-00031 #   <tr>
-00032 #     @tp @b GTest_INCLUDE_DIR @endtp
-00033 #     <td>Package include directories.</td>
-00034 #   </tr>
-00035 #   <tr>
-00036 #     @tp @b GTest_INCLUDES @endtp
-00037 #     <td>Include directories including prerequisite libraries.</td>
-00038 #   </tr>
-00039 #   <tr>
-00040 #     @tp @b GTest_LIBRARY @endtp
-00041 #     <td>Path of @c gtest library.</td>
-00042 #   </tr>
-00043 #   <tr>
-00044 #     @tp @b GTest_main_LIBRARY @endtp
-00045 #     <td>Path of @c gtest_main library (optional).</td>
-00046 #   </tr>
-00047 #   <tr>
-00048 #     @tp @b GTest_LIBRARIES @endtp
-00049 #     <td>Package libraries and prerequisite libraries.</td>
-00050 #   </tr>
-00051 # </table>
-00052 #
-00053 # Copyright (c) 2011, 2012 University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.<br />
-00054 # See http://www.rad.upenn.edu/sbia/software/license.html or COPYING file.
-00055 #
-00056 # Contact: SBIA Group <sbia-software at uphs.upenn.edu>
-00057 #
-00058 # @ingroup CMakeFindModules
-00059 ##############################################################################
-00060 
-00061 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00062 # initialize search
-00063 if (NOT GTest_DIR)
-00064   if ($ENV{GTEST_DIR})
-00065     set (GTest_DIR "$ENV{GTEST_DIR}" CACHE PATH "Installation prefix for Google Test")
-00066   else ()
-00067     set (GTest_DIR "$ENV{GTest_DIR}" CACHE PATH "Installation prefix for Google Test")
-00068   endif ()
-00069 endif ()
-00070 
-00071 set (GTest_ORIG_CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES ${CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES})
-00072 
-00073 if (GTest_SHARED_LIBRARIES)
-00074   if (WIN32)
-00075     set (CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES .dll)
-00076   else ()
-00077     set (CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES .so)
-00078   endif()
-00079 else ()
-00080   if (WIN32)
-00081     set (CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES .lib)
-00082   else ()
-00083     set (CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES .a)
-00084   endif()
-00085 endif ()
-00086 
-00087 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00088 # find paths/files
-00089 if (GTest_DIR)
-00090 
-00091   find_path (
-00092     GTest_INCLUDE_DIR
-00093       NAMES         gtest.h
-00094       HINTS         "${GTest_DIR}"
-00095       PATH_SUFFIXES "include/gtest"
-00096       DOC           "Include directory for Google Test."
-00097       NO_DEFAULT_PATH
-00098   )
-00099 
-00100   find_library (
-00101     GTest_LIBRARY
-00102       NAMES         gtest
-00103       HINTS         "${GTest_DIR}"
-00104       PATH_SUFFIXES "lib"
-00105       DOC           "Link library for Google Test (gtest)."
-00106       NO_DEFAULT_PATH
-00107   )
-00108 
-00109   find_library (
-00110     GTest_main_LIBRARY
-00111       NAMES         gtest_main
-00112       HINTS         "${GTest_DIR}"
-00113       PATH_SUFFIXES "lib"
-00114       DOC           "Link library for Google Test's automatic main () definition (gtest_main)."
-00115       NO_DEFAULT_PATH
-00116   )
-00117 
-00118 else ()
-00119 
-00120   find_path (
-00121     GTest_INCLUDE_DIR
-00122       NAMES gtest.h
-00123       HINTS ENV C_INCLUDE_PATH ENV CXX_INCLUDE_PATH
-00124       DOC   "Include directory for Google Test."
-00125   )
-00126 
-00127   find_library (
-00128     GTest_LIBRARY
-00129       NAMES gtest
-00130       HINTS ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-00131       DOC   "Link library for Google Test (gtest)."
-00132   )
-00133 
-00134   find_library (
-00135     GTest_main_LIBRARY
-00136       NAMES gtest_main
-00137       HINTS ENV LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-00138       DOC   "Link library for Google Test's automatic main () definition (gtest_main)."
-00139   )
-00140 
-00141 endif ()
-00142 
-00143 mark_as_advanced (GTest_INCLUDE_DIR)
-00144 mark_as_advanced (GTest_LIBRARY)
-00145 mark_as_advanced (GTest_main_LIBRARY)
-00146 
-00147 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00148 # add prerequisites
-00149 set (GTest_INCLUDES "${GTest_INCLUDE_DIR}")
-00150 
-00151 set (GTest_LIBRARIES)
-00152 if (GTest_LIBRARY)
-00153   list (APPEND GTest_LIBRARIES "${GTest_LIBRARY}")
-00154 endif ()
-00155 if (GTest_main_LIBRARY)
-00156   list (APPEND GTest_LIBRARIES "${GTest_main_LIBRARY}")
-00157 endif ()
-00158 
-00159 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00160 # reset CMake variables
-00161 set (CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES ${GTest_ORIG_CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES})
-00162 
-00163 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00164 # aliases / backwards compatibility
-00165 set (GTest_INCLUDE_DIRS "${GTest_INCLUDES}")
-00166 
-00167 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00168 # handle the QUIETLY and REQUIRED arguments and set *_FOUND to TRUE
-00169 # if all listed variables are found or TRUE
-00170 include (FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
-00171 
-00172 find_package_handle_standard_args (
-00173   GTest
-00174   REQUIRED_VARS
-00175     GTest_INCLUDE_DIR
-00176     GTest_LIBRARY
-00177 )
-00178 
-00179 set (GTest_FOUND "${GTEST_FOUND}")
-00180 
-00181 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-00182 # set GTest_DIR
-00183 if (NOT GTest_DIR AND GTest_FOUND)
-00184   string (REGEX REPLACE "include(/gtest)?/?" "" GTest_PREFIX "${GTest_INCLUDE_DIR}")
-00185   set (GTest_DIR "${GTest_PREFIX}" CACHE PATH "Installation prefix for GTest." FORCE)
-00186   unset (GTest_PREFIX)
-00187 endif ()
diff --git a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index c2ba5def3..4600ad327 100644
--- a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,41 +16,75 @@
 # along with GNSS-SDR. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-set(GTEST_DIR $ENV{GTEST_DIR})
 
-if(GTEST_DIR)
+set(GTEST_DIR_LOCAL $ENV{GTEST_DIR})
+
+if(NOT GTEST_DIR_LOCAL)
+     # if GTEST_DIR is not defined, we download and build it
+     include(ExternalProject)
+     set(gtest_RELEASE 1.6.0)
+     ExternalProject_Add(
+          gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
+          URL http://googletest.googlecode.com/files/gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}.zip
+          DOWNLOAD_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../download/gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
+          URL_MD5 "4577b49f2973c90bf9ba69aa8166b786"
+          SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../thirdparty/gtest/gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
+          BINARY_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
+          UPDATE_COMMAND ""
+          PATCH_COMMAND ""
+          INSTALL_COMMAND ""
+     )
+     # Set up variables
+     # Set recently downloaded and build Googletest root folder
+     set(GTEST_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../thirdparty/gtest/gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}")
+     # Source code
+     ExternalProject_Get_Property(gtest-${gtest_RELEASE} source_dir)
+     set(GTEST_INCLUDE_DIR ${source_dir}/include)
+     set(GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR} ${GTEST_DIR}/src)
+     # Library
+     ExternalProject_Get_Property(gtest-${gtest_RELEASE} binary_dir)
+     set(GTEST_LIBRARY_PATH "${binary_dir}/${CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_PREFIXES}gtest.a;${binary_dir}/${CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_PREFIXES}gtest_main.a")
+     set(GTEST_LIBRARY gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}) 
+     set(GTEST_LIBRARIES 
+          ${binary_dir}/${CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_PREFIXES}gtest.a 
+          ${binary_dir}/${CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_PREFIXES}gtest_main.a 
+     ) 
+	 set(GTEST_LIB_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}")
+endif(NOT GTEST_DIR_LOCAL)
+
+if(GTEST_DIR_LOCAL)
+     # If the variable GTEST_DIR is defined, we use the existing Googletest
+     set(GTEST_DIR $ENV{GTEST_DIR})
      set(GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR} ${GTEST_DIR}/src)
      add_library(gtest ${GTEST_DIR}/src/gtest-all.cc ${GTEST_DIR}/src/gtest_main.cc)
-     include_directories(
-          ${GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES}
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/system_parameters
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/interfaces
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/receiver
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/libs   
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/libs
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/resampler/gnuradio_blocks
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/tracking/libs
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/signal_source/adapters
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/input_filter/adapters
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/acquisition/adapters
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/acquisition/gnuradio_blocks
-          ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/output_filter/adapters
-          ${GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-          ${GFlags_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-          ${GNURADIO_CORE_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-          ${GNURADIO_GRUEL_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-          ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS}
-     )
-     add_executable(run_tests ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test_main.cc)
-     target_link_libraries(run_tests ${Boost_LIBRARIES} glog gflags gtest gnss_sp_libs gnss_rx)
-     add_dependencies(run_tests googletest)
-     #add_test(tests_gnss ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/install/run_tests)
-     install(TARGETS run_tests DESTINATION ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/install)
-else()
-     message (" ################################ ")
-     message (" Googletest not found! ")
-     message (" ################################ ")
-     message (" GNSS-SDR test system is based on Googletest, which has not been found ")
-     message (" Tests will not be build. Please download Googletest source code ")
-     message (" and define the environment variable GTEST_DIR pointing to its root folder")
-endif(GTEST_DIR)
\ No newline at end of file
+     set(GTEST_LIBRARIES gtest)
+endif(GTEST_DIR_LOCAL)
+     
+include_directories(
+     ${GTEST_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES}
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/system_parameters
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/interfaces
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/receiver
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/libs   
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/libs
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/resampler/gnuradio_blocks
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/tracking/libs
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/signal_source/adapters
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/input_filter/adapters
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/acquisition/adapters
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/acquisition/gnuradio_blocks
+     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/algorithms/output_filter/adapters
+     ${GLOG_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+     ${GFlags_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+     ${GNURADIO_CORE_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+     ${GNURADIO_GRUEL_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+     ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+)
+
+add_executable(run_tests ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test_main.cc)
+target_link_libraries(run_tests ${Boost_LIBRARIES} glog gflags ${GTEST_LIBRARIES} gnss_sp_libs gnss_rx)
+install(TARGETS run_tests DESTINATION ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/install)
+     
+
+
+