diff --git a/debug.opts b/debug.opts
index 1987557acffbaa94ad8d12d13a9a7e00f795225b..428a496c6989b2e60ed8042cd70cde2fca828ab9 100644
--- a/debug.opts
+++ b/debug.opts
@@ -26,3 +26,8 @@ CONFIGURE_FLAGS="\
   --disable-documentation \
   --disable-parallel \
   --disable-mpiruntest"
+
+# for CO2 and CO2ni tests
+# --enable-experimental-grid-extensions \
+# --with-alugrid=PATH_TO_ALUGrid \
+# need to be set in the configure flags
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/optim.opts b/optim.opts
index 2a2fc3e545d07aae487ae80ce56ed2a874fa9413..c66227bac25aedc8ed42c90a595d33d192377e3e 100644
--- a/optim.opts
+++ b/optim.opts
@@ -32,3 +32,7 @@ CONFIGURE_FLAGS=" \
   --disable-parallel \
   --disable-mpiruntest"
 
+# for CO2 and CO2ni tests
+# --enable-experimental-grid-extensions \
+# --with-alugrid=PATH_TO_ALUGrid \
+# need to be set in the configure flags
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/geomechanics/el2p/Makefile.am b/test/geomechanics/el2p/Makefile.am
index dd111fdbbba9edc6c31162422e1f2ba20af7ecf8..329f13ab408509ffe9d6d07f7896b1362d22bee3 100644
--- a/test/geomechanics/el2p/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/geomechanics/el2p/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 check_PROGRAMS = test_el2p
 
 noinst_HEADERS = *.hh
-EXTRA_DIST=*.input grids/*.dgf CMakeLists.txt
+EXTRA_DIST= grids/*.dgf CMakeLists.txt
 
 test_el2p_SOURCES = test_el2p.cc
 
diff --git a/test/implicit/co2/test_boxco2.cc b/test/implicit/co2/test_boxco2.cc
index 0ad19e10951b580ee79e429b4a63d189cd1f1bee..f28fd8dbdce1e8ab886b66963ff0e40b1e90f5ea 100644
--- a/test/implicit/co2/test_boxco2.cc
+++ b/test/implicit/co2/test_boxco2.cc
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@
 
 /*!
  * \brief Provides an interface for customizing error messages associated with
- *        reading in parameters.
+ *        reading in parameters. This test only works if the flags for experimental
+ *        grid extensions and ALUGrid are set. See the commented part in optim.opts and
+ *        debug.opts for reference.
  *
  * \param progName  The name of the program, that was tried to be started.
  * \param errorMsg  The error message that was issued by the start function.
@@ -42,19 +44,20 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
                     errorMessageOut += " [options]\n";
                     errorMessageOut += errorMsg;
                     errorMessageOut += "\n\nThe List of Mandatory arguments for this program is:\n"
-                                        "\t-tEnd                          The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-dtInitial                     The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-gridFile                      The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
-                                        "\t                                   definition in DGF format\n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature      Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure         Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow       Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh      High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow    Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh   High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-SimulationControl.name        The name of the output files [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.temperature Initial temperature in the reservoir [K] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.depthBOR    Depth below ground surface [m] \n";
+                            "\t-TimeManager.DtInitial          The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-TimeManager.TEnd               The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-Grid.GridFile                  The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
+                            "\t                                definition in DGF format\n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature       Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure          Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow        Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh       High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow     Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh    High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.name                   The name of the output files [-] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.depthBOR               Depth below ground surface [m] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionRate          Injection rate in kg/(s*m^2) or mole/(m^2*s) \n"
+                            "\t-LinearSolver.ResidualReduction [-] \n";
 
         std::cout << errorMessageOut
                   << "\n";
@@ -63,12 +66,16 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-#if HAVE_ALUGRID
+#if !DUNE_GRID_EXPERIMENTAL_GRID_EXTENSIONS
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs experimental grid extensions, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#elif !HAVE_ALUGRID
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#else
     typedef TTAG(HeterogeneousBoxProblem) ProblemTypeTag;
     return Dumux::start<ProblemTypeTag>(argc, argv, usage);
-#else
-    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid." << std::endl;
-    return 77;
 #endif
 
+
 }
diff --git a/test/implicit/co2/test_ccco2.cc b/test/implicit/co2/test_ccco2.cc
index a247247852d333b07d907ff7ea4c6c6b6a0d2e2e..60116fd4abf2315fc61fb32a3bea2cd0c0894e28 100644
--- a/test/implicit/co2/test_ccco2.cc
+++ b/test/implicit/co2/test_ccco2.cc
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@
 
 /*!
  * \brief Provides an interface for customizing error messages associated with
- *        reading in parameters.
+ *        reading in parameters. This test only works if the flags for experimental
+ *        grid extensions and ALUGrid are set. See the commented part in optim.opts and
+ *        debug.opts for reference.
  *
  * \param progName  The name of the program, that was tried to be started.
  * \param errorMsg  The error message that was issued by the start function.
@@ -42,19 +44,20 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
                     errorMessageOut += " [options]\n";
                     errorMessageOut += errorMsg;
                     errorMessageOut += "\n\nThe List of Mandatory arguments for this program is:\n"
-                                        "\t-tEnd                          The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-dtInitial                     The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-gridFile                      The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
-                                        "\t                                   definition in DGF format\n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature      Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure         Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow       Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh      High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow    Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh   High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-SimulationControl.name        The name of the output files [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.temperature Initial temperature in the reservoir [K] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.depthBOR    Depth below ground surface [m] \n";
+                            "\t-TimeManager.DtInitial          The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-TimeManager.TEnd               The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-Grid.GridFile                  The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
+                            "\t                                definition in DGF format\n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature       Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure          Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow        Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh       High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow     Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh    High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.name                   The name of the output files [-] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.depthBOR               Depth below ground surface [m] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionRate          Injection rate in kg/(s*m^2) or mole/(m^2*s) \n"
+                            "\t-LinearSolver.ResidualReduction [-] \n";
 
         std::cout << errorMessageOut
                   << "\n";
@@ -63,12 +66,15 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-#if HAVE_ALUGRID
+#if !DUNE_GRID_EXPERIMENTAL_GRID_EXTENSIONS
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs experimental grid extensions, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#elif !HAVE_ALUGRID
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#else
     typedef TTAG(HeterogeneousCCProblem) ProblemTypeTag;
     return Dumux::start<ProblemTypeTag>(argc, argv, usage);
-#else
-    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid." << std::endl;
-    return 77;
 #endif
 
 }
diff --git a/test/implicit/co2ni/test_boxco2ni.cc b/test/implicit/co2ni/test_boxco2ni.cc
index aaf6b98076dfeca523ac3a6725981662be3174d3..adb41ed93db9783d2106c18ce5c83a1ff973f694 100644
--- a/test/implicit/co2ni/test_boxco2ni.cc
+++ b/test/implicit/co2ni/test_boxco2ni.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@
 
 /*!
  * \brief Provides an interface for customizing error messages associated with
- *        reading in parameters.
+ *        reading in parameters. This test only works if the flags for experimental
+ *        grid extensions and ALUGrid are set. See the commented part in optim.opts and
+ *        debug.opts for reference.
  *
  * \param progName  The name of the program, that was tried to be started.
  * \param errorMsg  The error message that was issued by the start function.
@@ -41,19 +43,22 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
                     errorMessageOut += " [options]\n";
                     errorMessageOut += errorMsg;
                     errorMessageOut += "\n\nThe List of Mandatory arguments for this program is:\n"
-                                        "\t-tEnd                          The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-dtInitial                     The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-gridFile                      The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
-                                        "\t                                   definition in DGF format\n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature      Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure         Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow       Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh      High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow    Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh   High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-SimulationControl.name        The name of the output files [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.temperature Initial temperature in the reservoir [K] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.depthBOR    Depth below ground surface [m] \n";
+                            "\t-TimeManager.DtInitial          The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-TimeManager.TEnd               The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-Grid.GridFile                  The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
+                            "\t                                definition in DGF format\n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature       Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure          Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow        Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh       High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow     Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh    High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.name                   The name of the output files [-] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.depthBOR               Depth below ground surface [m] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionRate          Injection rate in kg/(s*m^2) or mole/(m^2*s) \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionPressure      Injection pressure [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionTemperature   Injection temperature in [K] \n"
+                            "\t-LinearSolver.ResidualReduction [-] \n";
 
         std::cout << errorMessageOut
                   << "\n";
@@ -62,12 +67,15 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-#if HAVE_ALUGRID
+#if !DUNE_GRID_EXPERIMENTAL_GRID_EXTENSIONS
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs experimental grid extensions, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#elif !HAVE_ALUGRID
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#else
     typedef TTAG(HeterogeneousNIBoxProblem) ProblemTypeTag;
     return Dumux::start<ProblemTypeTag>(argc, argv, usage);
-#else
-    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid." << std::endl;
-    return 77;
 #endif
 
 }
diff --git a/test/implicit/co2ni/test_ccco2ni.cc b/test/implicit/co2ni/test_ccco2ni.cc
index 439dabde5009c907df0dd366615e4922cece640c..854c52caa50e989d94a666f29742445c2c2ef12d 100644
--- a/test/implicit/co2ni/test_ccco2ni.cc
+++ b/test/implicit/co2ni/test_ccco2ni.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@
 
 /*!
  * \brief Provides an interface for customizing error messages associated with
- *        reading in parameters.
+ *        reading in parameters. This test only works if the flags for experimental
+ *        grid extensions and ALUGrid are set. See the commented part in optim.opts and
+ *        debug.opts for reference.
  *
  * \param progName  The name of the program, that was tried to be started.
  * \param errorMsg  The error message that was issued by the start function.
@@ -41,19 +43,22 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
                     errorMessageOut += " [options]\n";
                     errorMessageOut += errorMsg;
                     errorMessageOut += "\n\nThe List of Mandatory arguments for this program is:\n"
-                                        "\t-tEnd                          The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-dtInitial                     The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
-                                        "\t-gridFile                      The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
-                                        "\t                                   definition in DGF format\n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature      Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure         Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow       Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh      High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow    Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh   High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
-                                        "\t-SimulationControl.name        The name of the output files [-] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.temperature Initial temperature in the reservoir [K] \n"
-                                        "\t-InitialConditions.depthBOR    Depth below ground surface [m] \n";
+                            "\t-TimeManager.DtInitial          The initial timestep size. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-TimeManager.TEnd               The end of the simulation. [s] \n"
+                            "\t-Grid.GridFile                  The file name of the file containing the grid \n"
+                            "\t                                definition in DGF format\n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nTemperature       Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.nPressure          Number of tabularization entries [-] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureLow        Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.pressureHigh       High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureLow     Low end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-FluidSystem.temperatureHigh    High end for tabularization of fluid properties [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.name                   The name of the output files [-] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.depthBOR               Depth below ground surface [m] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionRate          Injection rate in kg/(s*m^2) or mole/(m^2*s) \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionPressure      Injection pressure [Pa] \n"
+                            "\t-Problem.injectionTemperature   Injection temperature in [K] \n"
+                            "\t-LinearSolver.ResidualReduction [-] \n";
 
         std::cout << errorMessageOut
                   << "\n";
@@ -62,12 +67,16 @@ void usage(const char *progName, const std::string &errorMsg)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-#if HAVE_ALUGRID
+#if !DUNE_GRID_EXPERIMENTAL_GRID_EXTENSIONS
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs experimental grid extensions, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#elif !HAVE_ALUGRID
+    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid, see optim.opts or debug.opts." << std::endl;
+    return 77;
+#else
     typedef TTAG(HeterogeneousNICCProblem) ProblemTypeTag;
     return Dumux::start<ProblemTypeTag>(argc, argv, usage);
-#else
-    std::cout << "Test skipped, it needs ALUGrid." << std::endl;
-    return 77;
 #endif
 
+
 }