diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e2ac3d1a2351e05061e897249bee425b774fbbdb..5d8497cbecea856af25a853ce399fe69ec0d63ed 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,3 +39,4 @@ include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR})
 add_subdirectory(mechanisms)
 add_subdirectory(src)
 add_subdirectory(tests)
+
diff --git a/src/algorithms.hpp b/src/algorithms.hpp
index b3943c688b33b7a2114f2dc88d2f3d22905d273c..83eeaf8dd7e32f776384d0c47fec5e5d0b43d1a8 100644
--- a/src/algorithms.hpp
+++ b/src/algorithms.hpp
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include <iostream>
-
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <iostream>
 #include <numeric>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <vector>
diff --git a/src/cell.hpp b/src/cell.hpp
index fece134947041d705564008e54be61ce93d50f60..98b871cb193ee09a595416128e6342b84fa028b9 100644
--- a/src/cell.hpp
+++ b/src/cell.hpp
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 #include <thread>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include <segment.hpp>
-#include <cell_tree.hpp>
-#include <stimulus.hpp>
+#include "segment.hpp"
+#include "cell_tree.hpp"
+#include "stimulus.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
diff --git a/src/cell_tree.hpp b/src/cell_tree.hpp
index 43fac2429a657545251159a3fa97002b7243fe86..fab1163b1bbf9b8c43dbf954b4a7081c4e9dcc7f 100644
--- a/src/cell_tree.hpp
+++ b/src/cell_tree.hpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include <ostream>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include "vector/include/Vector.hpp"
+#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
 #include "tree.hpp"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
diff --git a/src/fvm.hpp b/src/fvm.hpp
index 69d23d0d1fe97e341ad8de3dc25ce8c0771ef78c..d0c6f90272ee5f48fc7727a1aab519e3bebe5fdc 100644
--- a/src/fvm.hpp
+++ b/src/fvm.hpp
@@ -4,20 +4,19 @@
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
-
-#include <algorithms.hpp>
-#include <cell.hpp>
-#include <ion.hpp>
-#include <math.hpp>
-#include <matrix.hpp>
-#include <mechanism.hpp>
-#include <mechanism_interface.hpp>
-#include <util.hpp>
-#include <segment.hpp>
-#include <stimulus.hpp>
-
 #include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
 
+#include "algorithms.hpp"
+#include "cell.hpp"
+#include "ion.hpp"
+#include "math.hpp"
+#include "matrix.hpp"
+#include "mechanism.hpp"
+#include "mechanism_interface.hpp"
+#include "segment.hpp"
+#include "stimulus.hpp"
+#include "util.hpp"
+
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
 namespace fvm {
diff --git a/src/ion.hpp b/src/ion.hpp
index 311e86003b4cfba2b4cd4ceb569fc97a346daca0..8f526ade3358dac54722f3bfd96a003870412623 100644
--- a/src/ion.hpp
+++ b/src/ion.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
+
 #include "indexed_view.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
diff --git a/src/math.hpp b/src/math.hpp
index 86eccfce67e7f53fe6645b15808c201c88634e19..006a429e06372412c1fa5dd7d84401a4df4e68f4 100644
--- a/src/math.hpp
+++ b/src/math.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include <utility>
 #include <cmath>
+#include <utility>
+
 
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
diff --git a/src/matrix.hpp b/src/matrix.hpp
index db9d2df7f56e8bfffb73051e996acb13d9fa0369..e86c9b897b66a529252721b739ae20f96cfa16ae 100644
--- a/src/matrix.hpp
+++ b/src/matrix.hpp
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <type_traits>
+#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
 
 #include "util.hpp"
 
-#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
-
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
 
diff --git a/src/mechanism.hpp b/src/mechanism.hpp
index ea69c292e1f5c50efe0fd0e6e7dbf092c32b16fb..7a06a7330e06bb14000e7c262c3db55fe4dc7135 100644
--- a/src/mechanism.hpp
+++ b/src/mechanism.hpp
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#pragma once
-
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
 #include "indexed_view.hpp"
+#include "ion.hpp"
 #include "parameter_list.hpp"
 #include "util.hpp"
-#include "ion.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
diff --git a/src/mechanism_interface.cpp b/src/mechanism_interface.cpp
index 10fad45fa0d9776c4f45302e6bf196f995765e99..f44d1f561d3efcc51b262b5bb32e0a95084bbcb5 100644
--- a/src/mechanism_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/mechanism_interface.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <mechanisms/hh.hpp>
 #include <mechanisms/pas.hpp>
 
+
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
 namespace mechanisms {
diff --git a/src/segment.hpp b/src/segment.hpp
index decb0cdd88665c421cf159b8d7f49e4f91e03f0f..c6c49b26a946d36fdc969d9473fa07105d30d4af 100644
--- a/src/segment.hpp
+++ b/src/segment.hpp
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <cmath>
-
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "algorithms.hpp"
 #include "compartment.hpp"
 #include "math.hpp"
 #include "parameter_list.hpp"
 #include "point.hpp"
-#include "algorithms.hpp"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
diff --git a/src/swcio.cpp b/src/swcio.cpp
index f96676449d9526154d4f7d0cd3531da62bba715e..792d0fc7bdb3b4898b575dae552d0347efd85e9c 100644
--- a/src/swcio.cpp
+++ b/src/swcio.cpp
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
-#include <algorithms.hpp>
-#include <point.hpp>
-#include <swcio.hpp>
-#include <util.hpp>
+#include "algorithms.hpp"
+#include "point.hpp"
+#include "swcio.hpp"
+#include "util.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
diff --git a/src/swcio.hpp b/src/swcio.hpp
index a58bbac9aee9a32c03ae9bb33eb9289782a537b2..70f979cda362f503a81965c274a5cdeb23ea5056 100644
--- a/src/swcio.hpp
+++ b/src/swcio.hpp
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
-#include <cell.hpp>
-#include <point.hpp>
+#include "cell.hpp"
+#include "point.hpp"
 
 namespace nest {
 namespace mc {
diff --git a/src/tree.hpp b/src/tree.hpp
index d517f7e4570fc9278bab22ff974a3baaa964ea50..be96e3619424ec54b143e694108188419802e67b 100644
--- a/src/tree.hpp
+++ b/src/tree.hpp
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <cassert>
 #include <numeric>
 #include <vector>
+#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
 
-#include <cassert>
-
-#include "vector/include/Vector.hpp"
 #include "algorithms.hpp"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
diff --git a/src/util.hpp b/src/util.hpp
index afa029ff9cfcba65258473875003c00f58c3d16b..c4362b25d0ad9e54e962b118e84ce974b422a636 100644
--- a/src/util.hpp
+++ b/src/util.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include "vector/include/Vector.hpp"
+#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
 #define EXPECTS(expression) assert(expression)
diff --git a/tests/test_algorithms.cpp b/tests/test_algorithms.cpp
index f69569c9611068250cc3265524cfe64e1e10bd55..584bdf8ad10db170b44604d3db8f8047d3c29860 100644
--- a/tests/test_algorithms.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_algorithms.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-#include "gtest.h"
-
 #include <vector>
 
-#include <algorithms.hpp>
-#include <util.hpp>
+#include "gtest.h"
+#include "util.hpp"
+
+#include "../src/algorithms.hpp"
 
 TEST(algorithms, sum)
 {
diff --git a/tests/test_matrix.cpp b/tests/test_matrix.cpp
index 73663d6815d876e1740da4cee084c46255a74e3f..f74b47985649101a5bd4c79c07a911ed65b85c8b 100644
--- a/tests/test_matrix.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_matrix.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 #include <numeric>
+#include <vector>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 
-#include <matrix.hpp>
-#include <math.hpp>
-#include <vector/include/Vector.hpp>
+#include "../src/math.hpp"
+#include "../src/matrix.hpp"
 
 TEST(matrix, construct_from_parent_only)
 {
diff --git a/tests/test_mechanisms.cpp b/tests/test_mechanisms.cpp
index d61c89d20b40136044dfd7556157b68947d8e56f..aef84890275263ca7ef9570c1017864736a6f331 100644
--- a/tests/test_mechanisms.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_mechanisms.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "gtest.h"
 
-#include <mechanism_interface.hpp>
-#include <matrix.hpp>
+#include "../src/mechanism_interface.hpp"
+#include "../src/matrix.hpp"
 
 TEST(mechanisms, helpers) {
     nest::mc::mechanisms::setup_mechanism_helpers();
diff --git a/tests/test_parameters.cpp b/tests/test_parameters.cpp
index 0dce58b0c5472de6db9d721ad78dece7a9b3de94..8a4b0d200785036d727fda4cae698a7950fbf040 100644
--- a/tests/test_parameters.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_parameters.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-
 #include <fstream>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
-#include <parameter_list.hpp>
+#include "../src/parameter_list.hpp"
 
 // test out the parameter infrastructure
 TEST(parameters, setting)
diff --git a/tests/test_point.cpp b/tests/test_point.cpp
index b5bfeb9c1783a6c921ca97f3eb6ae4afd535c311..27b5bf705ee2224f0dd1d12a18824d3b5d170b71 100644
--- a/tests/test_point.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_point.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#include <limits>
 #include <cmath>
+#include <limits>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 
diff --git a/tests/test_segment.cpp b/tests/test_segment.cpp
index 9c3df625db9ef87110474d35a5ce88f3f4e07f09..490f0e5ece7b8956de830029bf1188c4f912b7c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_segment.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_segment.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 #include "../src/segment.hpp"
 
-
 TEST(segments, soma)
 {
     using namespace nest::mc;
diff --git a/tests/test_swcio.cpp b/tests/test_swcio.cpp
index 6968fd432a89842023807c8ed0ffb2ca8140b231..c3fc24d3926c86abd1ed3be760c1c6f5b7316ced 100644
--- a/tests/test_swcio.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_swcio.cpp
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 
-#include <cell.hpp>
-#include <swcio.hpp>
+#include "../src/cell.hpp"
+#include "../src/swcio.hpp"
 
 // SWC tests
 void expect_record_equals(const nest::mc::io::swc_record &expected,
diff --git a/tests/test_tree.cpp b/tests/test_tree.cpp
index a468d80ca8d4a61804d4fd0e242cad466bff8f8c..c27c1674adbb4c5314be9ad0f4d65b80b06a2677 100644
--- a/tests/test_tree.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_tree.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-#include <iostream>
 #include <fstream>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <json/src/json.hpp>
 #include <numeric>
 #include <vector>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 
-#include <cell_tree.hpp>
-#include "json/src/json.hpp"
+#include "../src/cell_tree.hpp"
 
 using json = nlohmann::json;
 using range = memory::Range;
diff --git a/tests/util.hpp b/tests/util.hpp
index aeb2f8d3e585a1603de6c7745b566a8b11aee12c..6252c7e439b334342c14b17285418a0e1f7a1c63 100644
--- a/tests/util.hpp
+++ b/tests/util.hpp
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
+#include <chrono>
+#include <cmath>
 #include <fstream>
+#include <iomanip>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
-#include <iomanip>
-#include <chrono>
 
-#include <cmath>
-
-#include <util.hpp>
 #include <json/src/json.hpp>
+#include <util.hpp>
 
 // helpful code for running tests
 // a bit messy: refactor when it gets heavier and obvious patterns emerge...
diff --git a/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp b/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
index a2aef0ada111aa7ecb8d150034a437016e987ce1..1a9bddb7e3aaa031cbf4212e0c1898767f3682bb 100644
--- a/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
+++ b/tests/validate_ball_and_stick.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 #include <fstream>
+#include <json/src/json.hpp>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
-#include <cell.hpp>
-#include <fvm.hpp>
-
-#include <json/src/json.hpp>
+#include "../src/cell.hpp"
+#include "../src/fvm.hpp"
 
 // compares results with those generated by nrn/ball_and_stick.py
 TEST(ball_and_stick, neuron_baseline)
diff --git a/tests/validate_soma.cpp b/tests/validate_soma.cpp
index b65b4ecb3a0de12d475c6380b24b43b824b65599..44d8235a4463e153c87fa58b325b7694440ed3a1 100644
--- a/tests/validate_soma.cpp
+++ b/tests/validate_soma.cpp
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 #include <fstream>
+#include <json/src/json.hpp>
 
 #include "gtest.h"
 #include "util.hpp"
 
-#include <cell.hpp>
-#include <fvm.hpp>
-
-#include <json/src/json.hpp>
+#include "../src/cell.hpp"
+#include "../src/fvm.hpp"
 
 // compares results with those generated by nrn/soma.py
 // single compartment model with HH channels