diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ffd411eb6..2e69e3e9d2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -40,6 +40,18 @@ if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.21)
     endif ()
 endif ()
 
+# Set up module path for our own cmake modules and add some esential ones
+list (APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH
+      "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/cmake/modules"
+      "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/cmake")
+
+# Utilities
+include (colors)
+include (set_utils)
+include (check_is_enabled)
+include (checked_find_package)
+include (fancy_add_executable)
+
 # If the user wants to use Conan to build dependencies, they will have done
 # this prior to the cmake config:
 #   cd <build area>
@@ -136,17 +148,9 @@ endif ()
 message(STATUS "Setting Namespace to: ${PROJ_NAMESPACE_V}")
 
 
-list (APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH
-      "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/cmake/modules"
-      "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/cmake")
-
 include (GNUInstallDirs)
 
-# Utilities
-include (colors)
-include (check_is_enabled)
-include (checked_find_package)
-include (fancy_add_executable)
+# Utilities for build instructions of the format-reading plugins
 include (add_oiio_plugin)
 
 # All the C++ and compiler related options and adjustments
diff --git a/src/cmake/set_utils.cmake b/src/cmake/set_utils.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c8d57a3035
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cmake/set_utils.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+# Copyright Contributors to the OpenImageIO project.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# https://github.com/AcademySoftwareFoundation/OpenImageIO
+
+
+# Set a variable to a value if it is not already defined.
+macro (set_if_not var value)
+    if (NOT DEFINED ${var})
+        set (${var} ${value})
+    endif ()
+endmacro ()
+
+
+# Set a cmake variable `var` from an environment variable, if it is not
+# already defined (or if the FORCE flag is used). By default, the env var is
+# the same name as `var`, but you can specify a different env var name with
+# the ENVVAR keyword. If the env var doesn't exist or is empty, and a DEFAULT
+# is supplied, assign the default to the variable instead.  If the VERBOSE
+# CMake variable is set, or if the VERBOSE flag to this function is used,
+# print a message.
+macro (set_from_env var)
+    cmake_parse_arguments(_sfe   # prefix
+        # noValueKeywords:
+        "VERBOSE;FORCE"
+        # singleValueKeywords:
+        "ENVVAR;DEFAULT;NAME"
+        # multiValueKeywords:
+        ""
+        # argsToParse:
+        ${ARGN})
+    if (NOT DEFINED ${var} OR _sfe_FORCE)
+        set_if_not (_sfe_ENVVAR ${var})
+        set_if_not (_sfe_NAME ${var})
+        if (DEFINED ENV{${_sfe_ENVVAR}} AND NOT "$ENV{${_sfe_ENVVAR}}" STREQUAL "")
+            set (${var} $ENV{${_sfe_ENVVAR}})
+            if (_sfe_VERBOSE OR VERBOSE)
+                message (VERBOSE "set ${_sfe_NAME} = $ENV{${_sfe_ENVVAR}} (from env)")
+            endif ()
+        elseif (DEFINED _sfe_DEFAULT)
+            set (${var} ${_sfe_DEFAULT})
+            if (_sfe_VERBOSE OR VERBOSE)
+                message (VERBOSE "set ${_sfe_NAME} = ${_sfe_DEFAULT}")
+            endif ()
+        endif ()
+    endif ()
+endmacro ()
+
+
+
+# Wrapper for CMake `set()` functionality with extensions:
+# - If an env variable of the same name exists, it overrides the default
+#   value.
+# - In verbose mode, print the value and whether it came from the env.
+# - CACHE optional token makes it a cache variable.
+# - ADVANCED optional token sets it as "mark_as_advanced" without the need
+#   for a separate call (only applies to cache variables.)
+# - FILEPATH, PATH, BOOL, STRING optional token works as usual (only applies
+#   to cache variables).
+# - `DOC <docstring>` specifies a doc string for cache variables. If omitted,
+#   an empty doc string will be used.
+# Other extensions may be added in the future.
+macro (super_set name value)
+    cmake_parse_arguments(_sce   # prefix
+        # noValueKeywords:
+        "FORCE;ADVANCED;FILEPATH;PATH;BOOL;STRING;CACHE"
+        # singleValueKeywords:
+        "DOC"
+        # multiValueKeywords:
+        ""
+        # argsToParse:
+        ${ARGN})
+    set (_sce_extra_args "")
+    if (_sce_FILEPATH)
+        set (_sce_type "FILEPATH")
+    elseif (_sce_PATH)
+        set (_sce_type "PATH")
+    elseif (_sce_BOOL)
+        set (_sce_type "BOOL")
+    else ()
+        set (_sce_type "STRING")
+    endif ()
+    if (_sce_FORCE)
+        list (APPEND _sce_extra_args FORCE)
+    endif ()
+    set_if_not (_sce_DOC "empty")
+    set_from_env (_sce_val ENVVAR ${name} NAME ${name} DEFAULT ${value})
+    if (_sce_CACHE)
+        message (STATUS "set (${name} ${_sce_val} CACHE ${_sce_type} ${_sce_DOC} ${_sce_extra_args})")
+        set (${name} ${_sce_val} CACHE ${_sce_type} ${_sce_DOC} ${_sce_extra_args})
+    else ()
+        set (${name} ${_sce_val} ${_sce_extra_args})
+    endif ()
+    if (_sce_ADVANCED)
+        mark_as_advanced (${name})
+    endif ()
+    unset (_sce_extra_args)
+    unset (_sce_type)
+    unset (_sce_val)
+endmacro ()
+
+
+# `set(... CACHE ...)` workalike using super_set underneath.
+macro (set_cache name value docstring)
+    super_set (${name} "${value}" DOC ${docstring} ${ARGN})
+endmacro ()
+
+
+# `option()` workalike using super_set underneath.
+macro (set_option name docstring value)
+    set_cache (${name} "${value}" ${docstring} BOOL ${ARGN})
+endmacro ()