diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5f6cac95..e2fb73ab 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -139,28 +139,6 @@ else ()
     endif ()
 endif()
 
-# Flags
-# =====
-
-include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
-
-if (MSVC)
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} /wd4251 /wd4141")
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} /wd4018 /wd4267 /wd4715 /wd4146 /wd4129")
-endif ()
-
-if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang" OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "GNU" OR CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Intel")
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Wunused-parameter -Wextra -Wreorder")
-
-    CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("-std=c++14" HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
-
-    if (HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++14")
-    else ()
-        message(FATAL_ERROR "Unsupported compiler -- xeus requires C++14 support!")
-    endif ()
-endif ()
-
 # Source files
 # ============
 
@@ -246,11 +224,10 @@ set(XPYTHON_WASM_SRC
 # Targets and link - Macros
 # =========================
 
-include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
-
 string(TOUPPER "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" U_CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
 
 macro(xpyt_set_common_options target_name)
+    target_compile_features(${target_name} PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
     if (MSVC)
         target_compile_options(${target_name} PUBLIC /wd4251 /wd4141)
         target_compile_options(${target_name} PUBLIC /wd4018 /wd4267 /wd4715 /wd4146 /wd4129)
@@ -259,16 +236,7 @@ macro(xpyt_set_common_options target_name)
     if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang" OR
         CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "GNU" OR
         CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Intel")
-
         target_compile_options(${target_name} PUBLIC -Wunused-parameter -Wextra -Wreorder)
-
-        # C++14 flag
-        CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("-std=c++14" HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
-        if (HAS_CPP14_FLAG)
-            target_compile_features(${target_name} PRIVATE cxx_std_14)
-        else ()
-            message(FATAL_ERROR "Unsupported compiler -- xeus-python requires C++14 support!")
-        endif ()
     endif ()
 endmacro()
 
diff --git a/environment-dev.yml b/environment-dev.yml
index 3eea0e87..f964102d 100644
--- a/environment-dev.yml
+++ b/environment-dev.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ dependencies:
   - cxx-compiler
   - ninja
   # Host dependencies
-  - xeus-zmq>=1.0,<2.0
+  - xeus-zmq>=1.3.0,<2.0
   - nlohmann_json
   - cppzmq
   - xtl>=0.7, <0.8