diff --git a/lib/dunecommonam2cmake.lib b/lib/dunecommonam2cmake.lib
index dd4f84b3c301625733d87254865992980d387eba..41ab033bc9b9788da4b8d9fedea0f33116dd7a54 100644
--- a/lib/dunecommonam2cmake.lib
+++ b/lib/dunecommonam2cmake.lib
@@ -21,13 +21,18 @@ dune_common_options_am2cmake()
 
     default_am2cmake_options $CMAKE_PACKAGES
 
-    # Check for --enable-parallel and otherwise deactivate MPI
+    # Check for --enable-parallel and activate MPI
     echo $PARAMS | grep \\-\\-enable-parallel > /dev/null
-    if test "$?" -ne 0 ; then
-	CMAKE_PARAMS="$CMAKE_PARAMS -DCMAKE_DISABLE_FIND_PACKAGE_MPI=TRUE"
-    else
-        CMAKE_PARAMS="$CMAKE_PARAMS -DUSE_MPI=ON"
+    if test "$?" -eq 0 ; then
+	      CMAKE_PARAMS="$CMAKE_PARAMS -DUSE_MPI=ON"
     fi
+
+    # Check for --disable-parallel and deactivate MPI if given
+    echo $PARAMS | grep \\-\\-disable-parallel > /dev/null
+    if test "$?" -eq 0 ; then
+        CMAKE_PARAMS="$CMAKE_PARAMS -DCMAKE_DISABLE_FIND_PACKAGE_MPI=TRUE"
+    fi
+
     # Check for --disable-cxx11check
     echo $PARAMS | grep \\-\\-disable-cxx11check > /dev/null
     if test "$?" -eq 0 ; then