diff --git a/.cmake/AddOsSpecificPlugins.cmake b/.cmake/AddOsSpecificPlugins.cmake
deleted file mode 100644
index 34774e677..000000000
--- a/.cmake/AddOsSpecificPlugins.cmake
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,33 +0,0 @@
-# libopenmpt detection
-find_library(LIBOPENMPT NAMES openmpt)
-if (NOT "${LIBOPENMPT}" STREQUAL "LIBOPENMPT-NOTFOUND")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder" "openmptdecoder")
-endif()
-
-if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Linux")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/alsaout" "alsaout")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/pulseout" "pulseout")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/mpris" "mpris")
-  if (${ENABLE_PIPEWIRE} MATCHES "true")
-    add_plugin("src/plugins/pipewireout" "pipewireout")
-  endif()
-  if (${ENABLE_SNDIO} MATCHES "true")
-    add_plugin("src/plugins/sndioout" "sndioout")
-  endif()
-elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "OpenBSD")
-  add_subdirectory(src/plugins/sndioout)
-  if (${ENABLE_PULSEAUDIO} MATCHES "true")
-    add_plugin("src/plugins/pulseout" "pulseout")
-  endif()
-elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "FreeBSD")
-  add_subdirectory(src/plugins/sndioout)
-  if (${ENABLE_PULSEAUDIO} MATCHES "true")
-    add_plugin("src/plugins/pulseout" "pulseout")
-  endif()
-  if (${ENABLE_ALSA} MATCHES "true")
-    add_plugin("src/plugins/alsaout" "alsaout")
-  endif()
-elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Darwin")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/coreaudioout" "coreaudioout")
-  add_plugin("src/plugins/macosmediakeys" "macosmediakeys")
-endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.cmake/AddPlugin.cmake b/.cmake/AddPlugin.cmake
index 1222b1147..00f9d1e5f 100644
--- a/.cmake/AddPlugin.cmake
+++ b/.cmake/AddPlugin.cmake
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 macro(add_plugin plugin_dir plugin_name)
-    message(STATUS "[add-plugin] adding '${plugin_name}' at path '${plugin_dir}")
     add_subdirectory(${plugin_dir})
     get_property(PLUGIN_DISABLED GLOBAL PROPERTY "DISABLE_${plugin_name}")
     if (NOT PLUGIN_DISABLED STREQUAL "true")
+        message(STATUS "[add-plugin] ${BoldGreen}added ${plugin_name}${ColorReset}")
         add_dependencies(musikcube ${plugin_name})
         add_dependencies(musikcubed ${plugin_name})
         add_dependencies(core_c_demo ${plugin_name})
     else()
-        message(STATUS "[add-plugin] *** WARNING! *** ${plugin_name} not found.")
+        message(STATUS "[add-plugin] ${BoldRed}skipped ${plugin_name}${ColorReset}")
     endif()
-endmacro(add_plugin)
\ No newline at end of file
+endmacro(add_plugin)
+
+macro(disable_plugin plugin_name)
+    set(PROPERTY_NAME "DISABLE_${plugin_name}")
+    set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY ${PROPERTY_NAME} "true")
+    get_property(PLUGIN_DISABLED GLOBAL PROPERTY "DISABLE_${plugin_name}")
+endmacro(disable_plugin)
diff --git a/.cmake/Colors.cmake b/.cmake/Colors.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7576742e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cmake/Colors.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# https://stackoverflow.com/a/19578320
+if (NOT WIN32)
+  string(ASCII 27 Esc)
+  set(ColorReset "${Esc}[m")
+  set(ColorBold  "${Esc}[1m")
+  set(Red         "${Esc}[31m")
+  set(Green       "${Esc}[32m")
+  set(Yellow      "${Esc}[33m")
+  set(Blue        "${Esc}[34m")
+  set(Magenta     "${Esc}[35m")
+  set(Cyan        "${Esc}[36m")
+  set(White       "${Esc}[37m")
+  set(BoldRed     "${Esc}[1;31m")
+  set(BoldGreen   "${Esc}[1;32m")
+  set(BoldYellow  "${Esc}[1;33m")
+  set(BoldBlue    "${Esc}[1;34m")
+  set(BoldMagenta "${Esc}[1;35m")
+  set(BoldCyan    "${Esc}[1;36m")
+  set(BoldWhite   "${Esc}[1;37m")
+endif()
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f9a47891f..65a354cfb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ set (LIBRARY_OUTPUT_PATH ${musikcube_SOURCE_DIR}/bin/plugins)
 set (EXECUTABLE_OUTPUT_PATH ${musikcube_SOURCE_DIR}/bin)
 
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/.cmake)
+include(Colors)
 include(CMakeToolsHelpers OPTIONAL)
 include(CheckAtomic)
 include(AddPlugin)
@@ -85,16 +86,30 @@ add_subdirectory(src/musikcubed)
 add_dependencies(musikcube musikcore)
 add_dependencies(musikcubed musikcore)
 
+# tag readers
 add_plugin("src/plugins/taglib_plugin" "taglibreader")
+# outputs
 add_plugin("src/plugins/nullout" "nullout")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/alsaout" "alsaout")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/pulseout" "pulseout")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/pipewireout" "pipewireout")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/sndioout" "sndioout")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/coreaudioout" "coreaudioout")
+# remotes
 add_plugin("src/plugins/server" "server")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/mpris" "mpris")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/macosmediakeys" "macosmediakeys")
+# streams
 add_plugin("src/plugins/httpdatastream" "httpdatastream")
-add_plugin("src/plugins/stockencoders" "stockencoders")
-add_plugin("src/plugins/supereqdsp" "supereqdsp")
-add_plugin("src/plugins/gmedecoder" "gmedecoder")
+# decoders
 add_plugin("src/plugins/ffmpegdecoder" "ffmpegdecoder")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder" "openmptdecoder")
+add_plugin("src/plugins/gmedecoder" "gmedecoder")
+# encoders
+add_plugin("src/plugins/stockencoders" "stockencoders")
+# dsps
+add_plugin("src/plugins/supereqdsp" "supereqdsp")
 
-include(AddOsSpecificPlugins)
 include(InstallFiles)
 include(GeneratePackage)
 include(PostBuild)
diff --git a/src/plugins/alsaout/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/alsaout/CMakeLists.txt
index 28b05c2a8..f72dbe13c 100755
--- a/src/plugins/alsaout/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/alsaout/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@ set (alsaout_SOURCES
   AlsaOut.cpp
 )
 
-add_library(alsaout SHARED ${alsaout_SOURCES})
-
 find_library(LIBASOUND asound)
-target_link_libraries(alsaout ${LIBASOUND})
 
+if ("${LIBASOUND}" STREQUAL "LIBASOUND-NOTFOUND")
+  disable_plugin(alsaout)
+else()
+  add_library(alsaout SHARED ${alsaout_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(alsaout ${LIBASOUND})
+endif()
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreaudioout/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/coreaudioout/CMakeLists.txt
index 44f860350..17fb2bd1d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreaudioout/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/coreaudioout/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ set (coreaudioout_SOURCES
 )
 
 if (APPLE)
-   find_library(CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY CoreFoundation)
-   find_library(CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY CoreAudio)
-   find_library(AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY AudioToolbox)
-   mark_as_advanced(CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY
-                     CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY
-                     AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY)
-   set(FRAMEWORK_LIBS ${CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY} ${CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY} ${AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY})
+  find_library(CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY CoreFoundation)
+  find_library(CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY CoreAudio)
+  find_library(AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY AudioToolbox)
+  mark_as_advanced(CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY
+                   CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY
+                   AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY)
+  set(FRAMEWORK_LIBS ${CORE_FOUNDATION_LIBRARY} ${CORE_AUDIO_LIBRARY} ${AUDIO_TOOLBOX_LIBRARY})
 
-   add_library(coreaudioout SHARED ${coreaudioout_SOURCES})
-   target_link_libraries(coreaudioout ${FRAMEWORK_LIBS})
-endif (APPLE)
+  add_library(coreaudioout SHARED ${coreaudioout_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(coreaudioout ${FRAMEWORK_LIBS})
+else()
+  disable_plugin(coreaudioout)
+endif()
diff --git a/src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder/CMakeLists.txt
index 93f834a4f..f68eaa69d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/libopenmptdecoder/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,13 +9,17 @@ add_library(openmptdecoder SHARED ${openmptdecoder_SOURCES})
 
 if (${BUILD_STANDALONE} MATCHES "true")
   target_include_directories(openmptdecoder BEFORE PRIVATE ${VENDOR_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES})
-  find_vendor_library(OPENMPTLIB openmpt)
-  target_link_libraries(openmptdecoder ${OPENMPTLIB})
+  find_vendor_library(LIBOPENMPT openmpt)
+  target_link_libraries(openmptdecoder ${LIBOPENMPT})
 else()
-  find_library(OPENMPTLIB NAMES openmpt)
-  find_library(MPG123LIB NAMES mpg123)
-  find_library(ZLIB NAMES z)
-  target_link_libraries(openmptdecoder ${OPENMPTLIB} ${MPG123LIB} ${ZLIB})
+  find_library(LIBOPENMPT NAMES openmpt)
+  find_library(LIBMPG123 NAMES mpg123)
+  find_library(LIBZ NAMES z)
+  if ("${LIBOPENMPT}" STREQUAL "LIBOPENMPT-NOTFOUND")
+    disable_plugin(openmptdecoder)
+  else()
+    target_link_libraries(openmptdecoder ${LIBOPENMPT} ${LIBMPG123} ${LIBZ})
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/macosmediakeys/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/macosmediakeys/CMakeLists.txt
index 3a60aa384..e0cfd26e4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/macosmediakeys/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/macosmediakeys/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ set (macosmediakeys_SOURCES
   SPMediaKeyTap.m
 )
 
-FIND_LIBRARY(APP_KIT_LIBRARY AppKit)
-FIND_LIBRARY(CARBON_LIBRARY Carbon)
-MARK_AS_ADVANCED (APP_KIT_LIBRARY CARBON_LIBRARY)
-
-add_library(macosmediakeys SHARED ${macosmediakeys_SOURCES})
-target_link_libraries(macosmediakeys ${APP_KIT_LIBRARY} ${CARBON_LIBRARY})
+if (APPLE)
+  FIND_LIBRARY(APP_KIT_LIBRARY AppKit)
+  FIND_LIBRARY(CARBON_LIBRARY Carbon)
+  MARK_AS_ADVANCED (APP_KIT_LIBRARY CARBON_LIBRARY)
+  add_library(macosmediakeys SHARED ${macosmediakeys_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(macosmediakeys ${APP_KIT_LIBRARY} ${CARBON_LIBRARY})
+else()
+  disable_plugin(macosmediakeys)
+endif()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/plugins/mpris/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/mpris/CMakeLists.txt
index 8b40511fc..1180d1cc8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/mpris/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/mpris/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,11 +13,10 @@ endif()
 find_package(PkgConfig)
 pkg_check_modules(SDBUS IMPORTED_TARGET ${SDBUS})
 
-if (SDBUS_LINK_LIBRARIES STREQUAL "")
+if (NOT DEFINED SDBUS_LINK_LIBRARIES)
+  disable_plugin(mpris)
+else()
   message(STATUS "[mpris] plugin enabled. using " ${SDBUS_LINK_LIBRARIES})
   add_library(mpris SHARED ${mpris_SOURCES})
   target_link_libraries(mpris PkgConfig::SDBUS)
-else()
-  set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY DISABLE_mpris "true")
-  message(STATUS "[mpris] plugin *not* enabled. setting 'DISABLE_mpris=true'")
 endif()
diff --git a/src/plugins/pipewireout/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/pipewireout/CMakeLists.txt
index 1d957836a..836b53c27 100644
--- a/src/plugins/pipewireout/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/pipewireout/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ set (pipewireout_SOURCES
   PipeWireOut.cpp
 )
 
-message(STATUS "[pipewireout] plugin enabled")
-
 find_package(PkgConfig)
-pkg_check_modules(PIPEWIRE REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET libpipewire-0.3)
+pkg_check_modules(PIPEWIRE IMPORTED_TARGET libpipewire-0.3)
 
-add_library(pipewireout SHARED ${pipewireout_SOURCES})
-target_link_libraries(pipewireout PkgConfig::PIPEWIRE)
+if (NOT DEFINED PIPEWIRE_LINK_LIBRARIES)
+  disable_plugin(pipewireout)
+else()
+  add_library(pipewireout SHARED ${pipewireout_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(pipewireout PkgConfig::PIPEWIRE)
+endif()
diff --git a/src/plugins/pulseout/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/pulseout/CMakeLists.txt
index a42277d3f..7f9a23354 100755
--- a/src/plugins/pulseout/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/pulseout/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,11 @@ set (pulseout_SOURCES
   PulseOut.cpp
 )
 
-add_library(pulseout SHARED ${pulseout_SOURCES})
-
 find_library(LIBPULSE pulse)
-target_link_libraries(pulseout ${LIBPULSE})
+
+if ("${LIBPULSE}" STREQUAL "LIBPULSE-NOTFOUND")
+  disable_plugin(pulseout)
+else()
+  add_library(pulseout SHARED ${pulseout_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(pulseout ${LIBPULSE})
+endif()
diff --git a/src/plugins/sndioout/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/sndioout/CMakeLists.txt
index 28f7432fd..12cfd7e2c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/sndioout/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/sndioout/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ set (sndioout_SOURCES
   SndioOut.cpp
 )
 
-add_library(sndioout SHARED ${sndioout_SOURCES})
-
 find_library(LIBSNDIO sndio)
-target_link_libraries(sndioout ${LIBSNDIO})
+
+if ("${LIBSNDIO}" STREQUAL "LIBSNDIO-NOTFOUND")
+  disable_plugin(sndioout)
+else()
+  add_library(sndioout SHARED ${sndioout_SOURCES})
+  target_link_libraries(sndioout ${LIBSNDIO})
+endif()