diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 28fb3b6e4..131d0e262 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -188,20 +188,20 @@ configure_file(
 
 ########### include sub-projects ############
 if(BUILD_EXTERNAL_LIBRARIES)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/cm256cc)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/mbelib)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/serialdv)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/dsdcc)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libairspy)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libairspyhf)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libhackrf)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/librtlsdr)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libbladerf)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/liblimesuite)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libmirisdr)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libperseus)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libiio)
-    add_subdirectory(externals/libsoapysdr)
+    add_subdirectory(external/cm256cc)
+    add_subdirectory(external/mbelib)
+    add_subdirectory(external/serialdv)
+    add_subdirectory(external/dsdcc)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libairspy)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libairspyhf)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libhackrf)
+    add_subdirectory(external/librtlsdr)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libbladerf)
+    add_subdirectory(external/liblimesuite)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libmirisdr)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libperseus)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libiio)
+    add_subdirectory(external/libsoapysdr)
 endif()
 
 if (CODEC2_FOUND)
diff --git a/externals/cm256cc/CMakeLists.txt b/external/cm256cc/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/cm256cc/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/cm256cc/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/dsdcc/CMakeLists.txt b/external/dsdcc/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/dsdcc/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/dsdcc/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libairspy/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libairspy/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libairspy/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libairspy/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libairspyhf/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libairspyhf/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libairspyhf/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libairspyhf/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libbladerf/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libbladerf/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/common/include/host_config.h b/external/libbladerf/common/include/host_config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/common/include/host_config.h
rename to external/libbladerf/common/include/host_config.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h b/external/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
rename to external/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h b/external/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
rename to external/libbladerf/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/mingw/common/include/host_config.h b/external/libbladerf/mingw/common/include/host_config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/mingw/common/include/host_config.h
rename to external/libbladerf/mingw/common/include/host_config.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h b/external/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
rename to external/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/backend/backend_config.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h b/external/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
rename to external/libbladerf/mingw/libraries/libbladeRF/src/version.h
diff --git a/externals/libbladerf/src/file_ops.c b/external/libbladerf/src/file_ops.c
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libbladerf/src/file_ops.c
rename to external/libbladerf/src/file_ops.c
diff --git a/externals/libhackrf/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libhackrf/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libhackrf/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libhackrf/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libiio/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libiio/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libiio/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libiio/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libiio/include/iio-config.h b/external/libiio/include/iio-config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libiio/include/iio-config.h
rename to external/libiio/include/iio-config.h
diff --git a/externals/libiio/includemw/iio-config.h b/external/libiio/includemw/iio-config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libiio/includemw/iio-config.h
rename to external/libiio/includemw/iio-config.h
diff --git a/externals/liblimesuite/CMakeLists.txt b/external/liblimesuite/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/liblimesuite/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/liblimesuite/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/liblimesuite/src/BuiltinConnections.cpp b/external/liblimesuite/src/BuiltinConnections.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/liblimesuite/src/BuiltinConnections.cpp
rename to external/liblimesuite/src/BuiltinConnections.cpp
diff --git a/externals/liblimesuite/src/SystemResources.cpp b/external/liblimesuite/src/SystemResources.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/liblimesuite/src/SystemResources.cpp
rename to external/liblimesuite/src/SystemResources.cpp
diff --git a/externals/liblimesuite/src/VersionInfo.cpp b/external/liblimesuite/src/VersionInfo.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/liblimesuite/src/VersionInfo.cpp
rename to external/liblimesuite/src/VersionInfo.cpp
diff --git a/externals/libmirisdr/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libmirisdr/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libmirisdr/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libmirisdr/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libperseus/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libperseus/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/config.h b/external/libperseus/config.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/config.h
rename to external/libperseus/config.h
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/config.linux.h b/external/libperseus/config.linux.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/config.linux.h
rename to external/libperseus/config.linux.h
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/config.windows.h b/external/libperseus/config.windows.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/config.windows.h
rename to external/libperseus/config.windows.h
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/fpga_data.c b/external/libperseus/fpga_data.c
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/fpga_data.c
rename to external/libperseus/fpga_data.c
diff --git a/externals/libperseus/fpga_data.h b/external/libperseus/fpga_data.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libperseus/fpga_data.h
rename to external/libperseus/fpga_data.h
diff --git a/externals/librtlsdr/CMakeLists.txt b/external/librtlsdr/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/librtlsdr/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/librtlsdr/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libsoapysdr/CMakeLists.txt b/external/libsoapysdr/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libsoapysdr/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/libsoapysdr/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/libsqlite3/src/shell.c b/external/libsqlite3/src/shell.c
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libsqlite3/src/shell.c
rename to external/libsqlite3/src/shell.c
diff --git a/externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.c b/external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.c
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.c
rename to external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.c
diff --git a/externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.h b/external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.h
rename to external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3.h
diff --git a/externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3ext.h b/external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3ext.h
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3ext.h
rename to external/libsqlite3/src/sqlite3ext.h
diff --git a/externals/mbelib/CMakeLists.txt b/external/mbelib/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/mbelib/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/mbelib/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/externals/serialdv/CMakeLists.txt b/external/serialdv/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from externals/serialdv/CMakeLists.txt
rename to external/serialdv/CMakeLists.txt