diff --git a/bin/install b/bin/install
index 6dea833..9f4bfb5 100755
--- a/bin/install
+++ b/bin/install
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ install_php() {
     local tmp_download_dir=${TMPDIR%/}
   fi
 
+  echo "Determining configuration options..."
   local source_path=$(get_download_file_path $install_type $version $tmp_download_dir)
   local configure_options="$(construct_configure_options $install_path)"
   local make_flags="-j$ASDF_CONCURRENCY"
@@ -66,11 +67,13 @@ install_php() {
     fi
   fi
 
+  echo "Downloading source code..."
   download_source $install_type $version $source_path
 
   # Running this in a subshell because we don't to disturb the current
   # working directory.
   (
+    echo "Extracting source code..."
     cd $(dirname $source_path)
     tar -zxf $source_path || exit 1
 
@@ -80,12 +83,20 @@ install_php() {
     # target=$(get_target)
 
     # Build PHP
+    echo "Running buildconfig..."
     ./buildconf --force || exit 1
+    echo "Running ./configure $configure_options"
     ./configure $configure_options || exit 1
+    echo "Running make \"$make_flags\""
     make "$make_flags" || exit 1
+    echo "Running make install..."
     # make "$make_flags" test || exit 1
     make "$make_flags" install || exit 1
   )
+
+  # it's not obvious where php.ini should be placed, let us make it easy for the user
+  mkdir $install_path/conf.d/
+  echo "# add system-wide php configuration options here" > $install_path/conf.d/php.ini
 }
 
 install_composer() {
@@ -101,6 +112,8 @@ install_composer() {
 construct_configure_options() {
   local install_path=$1
 
+  # many options included below are not applicable to newer PHP versions
+  # including these will trigger a build warning, but will not b
   global_config="--prefix=$install_path \
     --enable-bcmath \
     --enable-calendar \
@@ -146,12 +159,6 @@ construct_configure_options() {
     local configure_options="$PHP_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS $global_config"
   fi
 
-  if [ "${PHP_WITH_GMP:-no}" != "no" ]; then
-    configure_options="$configure_options --with-gmp"
-  else
-    configure_options="$configure_options --without-gmp"
-  fi
-
   if [ "${PHP_WITHOUT_PEAR:-no}" != "no" ]; then
     configure_options="$configure_options --without-pear"
   else
@@ -208,8 +215,25 @@ os_based_configure_options() {
     local webp_path=$(homebrew_package_path webp)
     local zlib_path=$(homebrew_package_path zlib)
 
+    # optional
+    # if these packages exist they are included in the php compilation
+    local gmp_path=$(homebrew_package_path gmp)
+    local sodium_path=$(homebrew_package_path libsodium)
+
+    if [ -n "$gmp_path" ]; then
+      configure_options="--with-gmp=$gmp_path"
+    else
+      echo "gmp not found, not including in installation"
+    fi
+
+    if [ -n "$sodium_path" ]; then
+      configure_options="$configure_options --with-sodium=$sodium_path"
+    else
+      echo "sodium not found, not including in installation"
+    fi
+
     if [ -n "$freetype_path" ]; then
-      configure_options="--with-freetype-dir=$freetype_path"
+      configure_options="$configure_options --with-freetype-dir=$freetype_path"
     else
       export ASDF_PKG_MISSING="freetype"
     fi
@@ -366,4 +390,4 @@ get_php_version() {
 }
 
 install_php $ASDF_INSTALL_TYPE $ASDF_INSTALL_VERSION $ASDF_INSTALL_PATH
-install_composer $ASDF_INSTALL_PATH
+install_composer ${ASDF_INSTALL_PATH}