diff --git a/Modules/CMakeLists.txt b/Modules/CMakeLists.txt
index c575043b5..01e2595a0 100644
--- a/Modules/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Modules/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # just install the modules
-# new file added, force rerunning cmake #
+# new file added, force rerunning cmake 
 
 SUBDIRS(Platform)
 INSTALL_FILES(${CMAKE_DATA_DIR}/Modules .*\\.cmake$)
diff --git a/Modules/FindLibXml2.cmake b/Modules/FindLibXml2.cmake
index 47136df06..93507e612 100644
--- a/Modules/FindLibXml2.cmake
+++ b/Modules/FindLibXml2.cmake
@@ -36,21 +36,11 @@ FIND_LIBRARY(LIBXML2_LIBRARIES NAMES xml2 libxml2
    ${_LibXml2LinkDir}
    )
 
-IF (LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR AND LIBXML2_LIBRARIES)
-   SET(LIBXML2_FOUND TRUE)
-ELSE (LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR AND LIBXML2_LIBRARIES)
-   SET(LIBXML2_FOUND FALSE)
-ENDIF (LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR AND LIBXML2_LIBRARIES)
+INCLUDE(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
 
-IF (LIBXML2_FOUND)
-   IF (NOT LibXml2_FIND_QUIETLY)
-      MESSAGE(STATUS "Found LibXml2: ${LIBXML2_LIBRARIES}")
-   ENDIF (NOT LibXml2_FIND_QUIETLY)
-ELSE (LIBXML2_FOUND)
-   IF (LibXml2_FIND_REQUIRED)
-      MESSAGE(SEND_ERROR "Could NOT find LibXml2")
-   ENDIF (LibXml2_FIND_REQUIRED)
-ENDIF (LIBXML2_FOUND)
+# handle the QUIETLY and REQUIRED arguments and set LIBXML2_FOUND to TRUE if 
+# all listed variables are TRUE
+FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS(LibXml2 LIBXML2_LIBRARIES LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR)
 
 MARK_AS_ADVANCED(LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR LIBXML2_LIBRARIES)
 
diff --git a/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake b/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dcb9ff4c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Modules/FindPackageHandleStandardArgs.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS(NAME VAR ... )
+#    This macro is intended to be used in FindXXX.cmake modules files.
+#    It handles the REQUIRED and QUIET argument to FIND_PACKAGE() and
+#    it also sets the <UPPERCASED_NAME>_FOUND variable.
+#    The package is found if all variables listed are TRUE.
+#    Example:
+#
+#    FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS(LibXml2 LIBXML2_LIBRARIES LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR)
+#
+#    LibXml2 is considered to be found, if both LIBXML2_LIBRARIES and 
+#    LIBXML2_INCLUDE_DIR are valid. Then also LIBXML2_FOUND is set tto TRUE.
+#    If it is not found and REQUIRED was used, it fails with FATAL_ERROR, 
+#    independent whether QUIET was used or not.
+#    If it is found, the location is reported using the VAR argument, so 
+#    here a message "Found LibXml2: /usr/lib/libxml2.so" will be printed out.
+
+MACRO(FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS _NAME _VAR1 )
+  STRING(TOUPPER ${_NAME} _NAME_UPPER)
+
+  SET(${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND TRUE)
+  IF(NOT ${_VAR1})
+    SET(${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND FALSE)
+  ENDIF(NOT ${_VAR1})
+
+  FOREACH(_CURRENT_VAR ${ARGN})
+    IF(NOT ${_CURRENT_VAR})
+      SET(${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND FALSE)
+    ENDIF(NOT ${_CURRENT_VAR})
+  ENDFOREACH(_CURRENT_VAR)
+
+  IF (${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND)
+    IF (NOT ${_NAME}_FIND_QUIETLY)
+        MESSAGE(STATUS "Found ${_NAME}: ${${_VAR1}}")
+    ENDIF (NOT ${_NAME}_FIND_QUIETLY)
+  ELSE (${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND)
+    IF (${_NAME}_FIND_REQUIRED)
+        MESSAGE(FATAL_ERROR "Could NOT find ${_NAME}")
+    ELSE (${_NAME}_FIND_REQUIRED)
+      IF (NOT ${_NAME}_FIND_QUIETLY)
+        MESSAGE(STATUS "Could NOT find ${_NAME}")
+      ENDIF (NOT ${_NAME}_FIND_QUIETLY)
+    ENDIF (${_NAME}_FIND_REQUIRED)
+  ENDIF (${_NAME_UPPER}_FOUND)
+ENDMACRO(FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS)
diff --git a/Modules/FindPythonLibs.cmake b/Modules/FindPythonLibs.cmake
index 3c07225f6..9e9b7d096 100644
--- a/Modules/FindPythonLibs.cmake
+++ b/Modules/FindPythonLibs.cmake
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # include files and libraries are. It also determines what the name of
 # the library is. This code sets the following variables:
 #
+#  PYTHONLIBS_FOUND     = have the Python libs been found
 #  PYTHON_LIBRARIES     = path to the python library
 #  PYTHON_INCLUDE_PATH  = path to where Python.h is found
 #  PYTHON_DEBUG_LIBRARIES = path to the debug library
@@ -136,3 +137,7 @@ ENDIF(Python_FRAMEWORKS)
 # module.
 SET(PYTHON_LIBRARIES "${PYTHON_LIBRARY}")
 SET(PYTHON_DEBUG_LIBRARIES "${PYTHON_DEBUG_LIBRARY}")
+
+
+INCLUDE(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
+FIND_PACKAGE_HANDLE_STANDARD_ARGS(PythonLibs PYTHON_LIBRARIES PYTHON_INCLUDE_PATH)