diff --git a/.github/workflows/scripts/verify_eessi_environment.py b/.github/workflows/scripts/verify_eessi_environment.py
index cc006e70..9b580969 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/scripts/verify_eessi_environment.py
+++ b/.github/workflows/scripts/verify_eessi_environment.py
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ def check_env_endswith(var1, var2):
             check_env_equals("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE", "EESSI_ACCEL_SUBDIR")
             # special case is where EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE may not match the final
             # accelerator architecture chosen.
-            # In CI we set FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED to allow us to compare against an expected value.
-            check_env_equals("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET", "FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED")
+            # In CI we set FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED to allow us to compare against an expected value.
+            check_env_equals("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET", "FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED")
         # verify the software paths that should exist
         check_env_endswith("EESSI_SOFTWARE_PATH", "EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR")
         check_env_endswith("EESSI_SITE_SOFTWARE_PATH", "EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR")
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_extend_module.yml b/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_extend_module.yml
index f304c48b..7d8e9daa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_extend_module.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_extend_module.yml
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ jobs:
           export EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH"
           module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
           # check some specific envvars
-          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          export EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"
           check_env_var "EASYBUILD_UMASK" "002"
           check_env_var "EASYBUILD_GROUP_WRITABLE_INSTALLDIR" "1"
           # unload and check the environment is clean again
@@ -118,10 +119,92 @@ jobs:
           mkdir -p $EESSI_USER_INSTALL  # must exist
           module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
           # check some specific envvars
-          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/$USER/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          export EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/$USER/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"
           check_env_var "EASYBUILD_UMASK" "077"
           # unload and check the environment is clean again
           module unload EESSI-extend
           check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
           unset EESSI_USER_INSTALL
 
+      - name: Run tests for EESSI-extend in the various GPU scenarios
+        run: |
+          export MY_INSTALLATION_PATH=/tmp/easybuild
+
+          # Define a function to check the values of environment variables
+          # and another that checks an environment does not contain environment 
+          # variables matching a certain pattern
+          source .github/workflows/scripts/test_utils.sh
+          
+          # Set an environment variable to use when we want to target accelerators
+          export STORED_EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE="accel/nvidia/cc80"
+          export STORED_CUDA_CC="8.0"
+
+          # Let's start from a clean slate
+          module purge
+          export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE=$STORED_EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE
+          module load EESSI/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}
+          # Access the installed EESSI-extend
+          module use "$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH"/modules/all
+          check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
+
+          # Configure for CVMFS install
+          export EESSI_CVMFS_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EESSI_SOFTWARE_PATH"  # installation path should be the same unless we ask for an explicit GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_CUDA_COMPUTE_CAPABILITIES" "$STORED_CUDA_CC"
+          export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild # reload for an actual GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "${EESSI_SOFTWARE_PATH}/${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}"
+          # unload and make sure the environment is clean again
+          module unload EESSI-extend
+          check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
+          unset EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL
+          unset EESSI_CVMFS_INSTALL
+
+          # Now configure for a site
+          export EESSI_SITE_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EESSI_SITE_SOFTWARE_PATH"  # installation path should be the same unless we ask for an explicit GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_CUDA_COMPUTE_CAPABILITIES" "$STORED_CUDA_CC"
+          export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild # reload for an actual GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "${EESSI_SITE_SOFTWARE_PATH}/${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}"
+          # unload and make sure the environment is clean again
+          module unload EESSI-extend
+          check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
+          unset EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL
+          unset EESSI_SITE_INSTALL
+
+          # Now for a project
+          export EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH"
+          export EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"  # installation path should be the same unless we ask for an explicit GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_CUDA_COMPUTE_CAPABILITIES" "$STORED_CUDA_CC"
+          export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild # reload for an GPU actual installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"  # installation path should be the same for project case
+          # unload and make sure the environment is clean again
+          module unload EESSI-extend
+          check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
+          unset EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL
+          unset EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL
+
+          # Now for a user
+          export EESSI_USER_INSTALL="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/$USER"
+          mkdir -p $EESSI_USER_INSTALL  # must exist
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
+          # check some specific envvars
+          export EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH="$MY_INSTALLATION_PATH/$USER/versions/$EESSI_VERSION/software/linux/$EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR"
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"  # installation path should be the same unless we ask for an explicit GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_CUDA_COMPUTE_CAPABILITIES" "$STORED_CUDA_CC"
+          export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL=1
+          module load EESSI-extend/${{matrix.EESSI_VERSION}}-easybuild # reload for an actual GPU installation
+          check_env_var "EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH" "$EXPECTED_INSTALLATION_PATH"  # installation path should be the same for user case
+          # unload and make sure the environment is clean again
+          module unload EESSI-extend
+          check_disallowed_env_prefix EASYBUILD_
+          unset EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL
+          unset EESSI_USER_INSTALL     
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_module.yml b/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_module.yml
index d6c97a40..c13b182b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_module.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests_eessi_module.yml
@@ -165,9 +165,9 @@ jobs:
         include:
           # For each override we expect a specific path (which may differ from the original due to overrides)
         - EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE: accel/nvidia/cc80
-          FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED: accel/nvidia/cc80
+          FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED: accel/nvidia/cc80
         - EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE: accel/nvidia/cc77  # deliberately chose a non-existent CUDA capability
-          FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED: accel/nvidia/cc70  # this reverts to the fallback case (which does exist)
+          FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED: accel/nvidia/cc70  # this reverts to the fallback case (which does exist)
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out software-layer repository
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ jobs:
           # Set our accelerator path overrides according to our matrix
           if [[ "${{matrix.EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}}" != "none" ]]; then
               export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE=${{matrix.EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}}
-              export FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED=${{matrix.FINAL_ACCELERATOR_PATH_EXPECTED}}
+              export FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED=${{matrix.FINAL_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_EXPECTED}}
           fi
 
           # Turn on debug output in case we want to take a look
diff --git a/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb b/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
index 36881252..b0e2364a 100644
--- a/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
+++ b/EESSI-extend-easybuild.eb
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ description = """
  If both EESSI_USER_INSTALL and EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL are defined, both sets of
  installations are exposed, but new installations are created as user
  installations.
+
+ Strict installation path checking is enforced by EESSI for EESSI and site
+ installations involving accelerators. In these cases, if you wish to create an
+ accelerator installation you must set the environment variable
+ EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL (and load/reload this module).
 """
 
 toolchain = SYSTEM
@@ -78,8 +83,21 @@ if (mode() == "load") then
   end
 end
 working_dir = os.getenv("WORKING_DIR") or pathJoin("/tmp", os.getenv("USER"))
+
 -- Gather the EPREFIX to use as a sysroot
 sysroot = os.getenv("EESSI_EPREFIX")
+
+-- Check if we have GPU capabilities and configure CUDA compute capabilities
+eessi_accelerator_target = os.getenv("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET")
+if (eessi_accelerator_target ~= nil) then
+  cuda_compute_capability = string.match(eessi_accelerator_target, "^accel/nvidia/cc([0-9][0-9])$")
+  if (cuda_compute_capability ~= nil) then
+    easybuild_cuda_compute_capabilities = cuda_compute_capability:sub(1, 1) ..  "." .. cuda_compute_capability:sub(2, 2)
+  else
+    LmodError("Incorrect value for $EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET: " .. eessi_accelerator_target)
+  end
+end
+
 -- Use an installation prefix that we _should_ have write access to
 if (os.getenv("EESSI_CVMFS_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
   -- Make sure no other EESSI install environment variables are set
@@ -88,15 +106,9 @@ if (os.getenv("EESSI_CVMFS_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
   end
   eessi_cvmfs_install = true
   easybuild_installpath = os.getenv("EESSI_SOFTWARE_PATH")
-  eessi_accelerator_target = os.getenv("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET")
-  if (eessi_accelerator_target ~= nil) then
-    cuda_compute_capability = string.match(eessi_accelerator_target, "^nvidia/cc([0-9][0-9])$")
-    if (cuda_compute_capability ~= nil) then
-      easybuild_installpath = pathJoin(easybuild_installpath, 'accel', eessi_accelerator_target)
-      easybuild_cuda_compute_capabilities = cuda_compute_capability:sub(1, 1) ..  "." .. cuda_compute_capability:sub(2, 2)
-    else
-      LmodError("Incorrect value for $EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET: " .. eessi_accelerator_target)
-    end
+  -- enforce accelerator subdirectory usage for CVMFS installs (only if an accelerator install is requested)
+  if (eessi_accelerator_target ~= nil) and (cuda_compute_capability ~= nil) and (os.getenv("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
+      easybuild_installpath = pathJoin(easybuild_installpath, eessi_accelerator_target)
   end
 elseif (os.getenv("EESSI_SITE_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
   -- Make sure no other EESSI install environment variables are set
@@ -104,6 +116,10 @@ elseif (os.getenv("EESSI_SITE_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
     LmodError("You cannot use EESSI_SITE_INSTALL in combination with any other EESSI_*_INSTALL environment variables")
   end
   easybuild_installpath = os.getenv("EESSI_SITE_SOFTWARE_PATH")
+  -- enforce accelerator subdirectory usage for site installs (only if an accelerator install is requested)
+  if (eessi_accelerator_target ~= nil) and (cuda_compute_capability ~= nil) and (os.getenv("EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL") ~= nil) then
+      easybuild_installpath = pathJoin(easybuild_installpath, eessi_accelerator_target)
+  end
 else
   -- Deal with user and project installs
   project_install = os.getenv("EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL")
diff --git a/EESSI-install-software.sh b/EESSI-install-software.sh
index c491819f..2d5a62c7 100755
--- a/EESSI-install-software.sh
+++ b/EESSI-install-software.sh
@@ -284,6 +284,16 @@ if [[ ! -z ${EESSI_DEV_PROJECT} ]]; then
     echo ">> \$EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL set to ${EESSI_PROJECT_INSTALL}"
 fi
 
+# If we have EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE set (and non-empty), then this implies building for a GPU target
+# (this must be set _before_ we load EESSI-extend).
+# We also make sure that EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET is also set as EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE must
+# be set before the EESSI module is loaded in order to set accelerator information.
+if [[ -n "$EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE" && -z "$EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET" ]]; then
+  fatal_error "EESSI module should've set EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET ($EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET) when EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE ($EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE) exported."
+elif [[ -n "$EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE" ]]; then
+  export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_INSTALL=1
+fi
+
 echo "DEBUG: before loading EESSI-extend // EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH='${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH}'"
 source $TOPDIR/load_eessi_extend_module.sh ${EESSI_VERSION}
 echo "DEBUG: after loading EESSI-extend //  EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH='${EASYBUILD_INSTALLPATH}'"
diff --git a/bot/build.sh b/bot/build.sh
index 2bba0cba..45a15f23 100755
--- a/bot/build.sh
+++ b/bot/build.sh
@@ -162,8 +162,14 @@ export EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE
 echo "bot/build.sh: EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE='${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE}'"
 
 # determine accelerator target (if any) from .architecture in ${JOB_CFG_FILE}
-export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET=$(cfg_get_value "architecture" "accelerator")
-echo "bot/build.sh: EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET='${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET}'"
+ACCEL_OVERRIDE=$(cfg_get_value "architecture" "accelerator")
+if [[ -n "$ACCEL_OVERRIDE" ]]; then
+    # bot job config does not include accel subdirectory
+    export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE="accel/$ACCEL_OVERRIDE"
+else
+    export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE=""
+fi
+echo "bot/build.sh: EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE='${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}'"
 
 # get EESSI_OS_TYPE from .architecture.os_type in ${JOB_CFG_FILE} (default: linux)
 EESSI_OS_TYPE=$(cfg_get_value "architecture" "os_type")
diff --git a/run_in_compat_layer_env.sh b/run_in_compat_layer_env.sh
index e9a49cbe..188420e6 100755
--- a/run_in_compat_layer_env.sh
+++ b/run_in_compat_layer_env.sh
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ fi
 if [ ! -z ${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE} ]; then
     INPUT="export EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE=${EESSI_SOFTWARE_SUBDIR_OVERRIDE}; ${INPUT}"
 fi
-if [ ! -z ${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET} ]; then
-    INPUT="export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET=${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET}; ${INPUT}"
+if [ ! -z ${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE} ]; then
+    INPUT="export EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE=${EESSI_ACCELERATOR_TARGET_OVERRIDE}; ${INPUT}"
 fi
 if [ ! -z ${EESSI_CVMFS_REPO_OVERRIDE} ]; then
     INPUT="export EESSI_CVMFS_REPO_OVERRIDE=${EESSI_CVMFS_REPO_OVERRIDE}; ${INPUT}"