diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index d37ee12a8582..363f6ba0a621 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -90,8 +90,16 @@ set(COMPILED_WITH ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER})
 set(COMPILER_COMMAND "<not-implemented>") # TODO: Put something more descriptive here
 set(COMPILER_FLAGS "<not-implemented>") # TODO: Put something more descriptive here
 
-if (NOT COORDINATE_TYPE)
+set(PARTHENON_COORDINATES "Cartesian" CACHE STRING "Set the coordinate system from {Cartesian, Cylindrical, Spherical} with Cartesian the default")
+
+if (${PARTHENON_COORDINATES} STREQUAL "Cartesian")
   set(COORDINATE_TYPE UniformCartesian)
+elseif(${PARTHENON_COORDINATES} STREQUAL "Cylindrical")
+  set(COORDINATE_TYPE UniformCylindrical)
+elseif(${PARTHENON_COORDINATES} STREQUAL "Spherical")
+  set(COORDINATE_TYPE UniformSpherical)
+else()
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "Invalid setting for COORDINATES")
 endif()
 message(STATUS "COORDINATE_TYPE = " ${COORDINATE_TYPE})