diff --git a/cmake/ConfigFileSetting.cmake b/cmake/ConfigFileSetting.cmake
index 54939df7e1..a3832b8adb 100644
--- a/cmake/ConfigFileSetting.cmake
+++ b/cmake/ConfigFileSetting.cmake
@@ -164,8 +164,17 @@ configure_file("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/sundials/sundials_config.h.in"
                "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/src/sundials/sundials_config.h" @ONLY)
 configure_file("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/share/lib/nrn.defaults.in"
                "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/nrn.defaults" @ONLY)
-file(COPY ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/share/lib/nrnunits.lib
-     DESTINATION ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib)
+set(nrnunits_start "")
+set(nrnunits_stop "")
+
+configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/share/lib/nrnunits.lib.in
+               ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/nrnunits.lib @ONLY)
+
+set(nrnunits_start "R\"qwerty(")
+set(nrnunits_stop ")qwerty\"")
+# Embed nrnunits
+configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/share/lib/nrnunits.lib.in
+               ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib/embedded_nrnunits.lib @ONLY)
 
 if(NRN_MACOS_BUILD)
   set(abs_top_builddir ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR})
diff --git a/share/lib/nrnunits.lib b/share/lib/nrnunits.lib.in
similarity index 99%
rename from share/lib/nrnunits.lib
rename to share/lib/nrnunits.lib.in
index b0839ca173..aa57c4b4a4 100755
--- a/share/lib/nrnunits.lib
+++ b/share/lib/nrnunits.lib.in
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/ from gnu units distribution
+@nrnunits_start@/ from gnu units distribution
 / Nov, 2017 updated faraday, R, e, planck, hbar, mole, k according to
 / https://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Constants/index.html
 
@@ -617,4 +617,4 @@ metricyarncount		meter/gram
 jewlerspoint		2 milligram
 
 
-
+@nrnunits_stop@
diff --git a/src/modlunit/units.cpp b/src/modlunit/units.cpp
index d4433f1da1..69a3e87565 100644
--- a/src/modlunit/units.cpp
+++ b/src/modlunit/units.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
+#include <fstream>
 
 /* /local/src/master/nrn/src/modlunit/units.c,v 1.5 1997/11/24 16:19:13 hines Exp */
 /* Mostly from Berkeley */
@@ -100,6 +102,23 @@ static int dumpflg;
 
 static const char* pc;
 
+static constexpr std::string_view embedded_nrnunits =
+#include "embedded_nrnunits.lib"
+    ;
+
+// cross-platform workaround for:
+// https://github.com/neuronsimulator/nrn/issues/3470
+// the API requires a FILE handle instead of a std::string or similar
+// so we write a temporary file
+static FILE* open_embedded_nrnunits_as_file() {
+    auto tmp_path = std::string(std::tmpnam(nullptr));
+    auto out = std::ofstream(tmp_path, std::ios::out);
+    out.write(embedded_nrnunits.data(), embedded_nrnunits.size());
+    out.close();
+
+    return std::fopen(tmp_path.c_str(), "r");
+}
+
 static int Getc(FILE* inp) {
     if (inp != stdin) {
         return getc(inp);
@@ -565,6 +584,11 @@ void unit_init() {
     }
 #endif
 
+    // try to load the embedded one as a last resort
+    if (!inpfile) {
+        inpfile = open_embedded_nrnunits_as_file();
+    }
+
     if (!inpfile) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Set a MODLUNIT environment variable path to the units table file\n");
         fprintf(stderr, "Cant open units table in either of:\n%s\n", buf);
diff --git a/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt b/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
index a6887ce58a..1a30e1d2de 100644
--- a/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/nrniv/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ add_dependencies(generated_source_files modlunit_generated_files)
 add_executable(modlunit ${NRN_MODLUNIT_SRC_FILES} "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/lex.cpp"
                         "${NRN_MODLUNIT_GEN}/parse1.cpp")
 add_dependencies(modlunit modlunit_generated_files)
+target_include_directories(modlunit PRIVATE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib")
 
 target_compile_definitions(modlunit PRIVATE NRNUNIT=1)
 cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET modlunit)
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ add_dependencies(generated_source_files nocmodl_generated_files)
 
 add_executable(nocmodl ${NRN_NOCMODL_SRC_FILES} "${NRN_NOCMODL_GEN}/lex.cpp"
                        "${NRN_NOCMODL_GEN}/parse1.cpp" "${NRN_NOCMODL_GEN}/diffeq.cpp")
+target_include_directories(nocmodl PRIVATE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nrn/lib")
 cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TARGET nocmodl)
 add_dependencies(nocmodl nocmodl_generated_files)
 target_compile_definitions(nocmodl PRIVATE COMPILE_DEFINITIONS NMODL=1 CVODE=1)
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 641ba0cd63..de66abe393 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -802,8 +802,14 @@ add_modlunit_test("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrnoc/hh.mod")
 add_modlunit_test("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrnoc/stim.mod")
 add_modlunit_test("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/nrnoc/pattern.mod")
 add_modlunit_test("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/hoctests/rand.mod")
+# Test nocmodl with units
+add_test(
+  NAME nocmodl::no_env
+  COMMAND $<TARGET_FILE:nocmodl> -o "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}"
+          "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/coreneuron/mod files/axial.mod"
+  WORKING_DIRECTORY "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}")
 set_property(TEST modlunit_pattern PROPERTY WILL_FAIL ON)
-
+cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TEST nocmodl::no_env)
 set_tests_properties(${TESTS} PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "${NRN_RUN_FROM_BUILD_DIR_ENV}")
 cpp_cc_configure_sanitizers(TEST ${TESTS})
 # If profiling is enabled, run ringtest with profiler