diff --git a/etc/config.csh/mpi b/etc/config.csh/mpi
index e6b57838b486930c56437a7f2b1136c5bea9c824..eaf11328da4a1fe3f93f2f972ba855c709fa4fd5 100644
--- a/etc/config.csh/mpi
+++ b/etc/config.csh/mpi
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ case SYSTEMOPENMPI:
     breaksw
 
 case OPENMPI:
-    setenv FOAM_MPI openmpi-2.0.2
+    setenv FOAM_MPI openmpi-2.1.1
     _foamEtc config.csh/openmpi                 # <- Adjustments (optional)
 
     setenv MPI_ARCH_PATH $WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$FOAM_MPI
diff --git a/etc/config.csh/vtk b/etc/config.csh/vtk
index 27421c4090647ff5eea4966b6ce65d7c88898009..1abca1e975c5a7f14b1cacc14920c924694952c2 100644
--- a/etc/config.csh/vtk
+++ b/etc/config.csh/vtk
@@ -36,15 +36,15 @@
 #     equivalent config.sh version too, since that is the one which will
 #     be used during the build process.
 #
-# It is recommended to use the VTK sources from ParaView 5.0.1.
+# It is recommended to use VTK sources from ParaView (5.0.1 or later)
 #
-# See the BuildIssues.txt about problems that can be encountered when using
+# See BuildIssues.txt about problems that can be encountered when using
 # the 'plain' VTK sources.
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # USER EDITABLE PART: Changes made here may be lost with the next upgrade
 
-set vtk_version=VTK-7.1.0
-set mesa_version=mesa-13.0.1
+set vtk_version=VTK-8.1.0
+set mesa_version=mesa-17.1.1
 
 setenv VTK_DIR $WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$vtk_version
 setenv MESA_ARCH_PATH $WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$mesa_version
diff --git a/etc/config.sh/mpi b/etc/config.sh/mpi
index 812b354a1be7970b787fdb127a23dc8c310cd093..d28b3a37bb85f14a33cbfbf67c00fc6926681133 100644
--- a/etc/config.sh/mpi
+++ b/etc/config.sh/mpi
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ SYSTEMOPENMPI)
     ;;
 
 OPENMPI)
-    export FOAM_MPI=openmpi-2.0.2
+    export FOAM_MPI=openmpi-2.1.1
     _foamEtc config.sh/openmpi                  # <- Adjustments (optional)
 
     export MPI_ARCH_PATH=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$FOAM_MPI
diff --git a/etc/config.sh/vtk b/etc/config.sh/vtk
index 9c2a0fe33ec26eb36d8cf9eab9cd897bdea9b9ce..8d881b64c567b6d68c1151502b3466d30ba6318e 100644
--- a/etc/config.sh/vtk
+++ b/etc/config.sh/vtk
@@ -36,15 +36,15 @@
 #         - the vtk_version, mesa_version variables are retained.
 #           (for future integration into ThirdParty build)
 #
-# It is recommended to use the VTK sources from ParaView 5.0.1 or later
+# It is recommended to use VTK sources from ParaView (5.0.1 or later)
 #
-# See the BuildIssues.txt about problems that can be encountered when using
+# See BuildIssues.txt about problems that can be encountered when using
 # the 'plain' VTK sources.
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # USER EDITABLE PART: Changes made here may be lost with the next upgrade
 
-vtk_version=VTK-7.1.0
-mesa_version=mesa-13.0.1
+vtk_version=VTK-8.1.0
+mesa_version=mesa-17.1.1
 
 export VTK_DIR=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$vtk_version
 export MESA_ARCH_PATH=$WM_THIRD_PARTY_DIR/platforms/$WM_ARCH$WM_COMPILER/$mesa_version