diff --git a/cmake/ConfigureSummary.cmake b/cmake/ConfigureSummary.cmake
index 0e3eba6208..ea9610aa9a 100644
--- a/cmake/ConfigureSummary.cmake
+++ b/cmake/ConfigureSummary.cmake
@@ -261,6 +261,18 @@ function( NEST_PRINT_CONFIG_SUMMARY )
     message( "" )
   endif ()
 
+  if ( NOT HAVE_BOOST )
+    message( "" )
+    message( "ATTENTION!" )
+    message( "You are about to compile NEST without the Boost Library or" )
+    message( "your Boost Library is too old (before v1.70). This means" )
+    message( "that a few neuron models will not be available and that" )
+    message( "overall performance may be reduced." )
+    message( "" )
+    message( "--------------------------------------------------------------------------------" )
+    message( "" )
+  endif ()
+
   message( "You can now build and install NEST with" )
   message( "  make" )
   message( "  make install" )
diff --git a/cmake/ProcessOptions.cmake b/cmake/ProcessOptions.cmake
index b4abab8237..09498146d1 100644
--- a/cmake/ProcessOptions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/ProcessOptions.cmake
@@ -294,11 +294,9 @@ function( NEST_PROCESS_WITH_GSL )
       set( GSL_ROOT "${with-gsl}" )
     endif ()
 
-    find_package( GSL )
+    find_package( GSL 1.11 )
 
-    # only allow GSL 1.11 and later
-    if ( GSL_FOUND AND ( "${GSL_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER "1.11"
-        OR "${GSL_VERSION}" VERSION_EQUAL "1.11" ))
+    if ( GSL_FOUND )
       set( HAVE_GSL ON PARENT_SCOPE )
 
       # export found variables to parent scope
@@ -550,7 +548,8 @@ function( NEST_PROCESS_WITH_BOOST )
     set(Boost_USE_RELEASE_LIBS ON) # only find release libs
     # Needs Boost version >=1.62.0 to use Boost sorting, JUNIT logging
     # Require Boost version >=1.69.0 due to change in Boost sort
-    find_package( Boost 1.69.0 )
+    # Require Boost version >=1.70.0 due to change in package finding
+    find_package( Boost 1.70 CONFIG )
     if ( Boost_FOUND )
       # export found variables to parent scope
       set( HAVE_BOOST ON PARENT_SCOPE )