diff --git a/config/BuildSystem/config/packages/metis.py b/config/BuildSystem/config/packages/metis.py
index be348891e2..136526da05 100644
--- a/config/BuildSystem/config/packages/metis.py
+++ b/config/BuildSystem/config/packages/metis.py
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ class Configure(config.package.CMakePackage):
     self.hastests          = 1
     return
 
+  def setupHelp(self, help):
+    config.package.CMakePackage.setupHelp(self,help)
+    import nargs
+    help.addArgument('METIS', '-download-metis-use-doubleprecision=<bool>', nargs.ArgBool(None, 0, 'enable METIS_USE_DOUBLEPRECISION'))
+    return
+
   def setupDependencies(self, framework):
     config.package.CMakePackage.setupDependencies(self, framework)
     self.compilerFlags = framework.require('config.compilerFlags', self)
@@ -33,6 +39,8 @@ class Configure(config.package.CMakePackage):
       args.append('-DDEBUG=1')
     if self.getDefaultIndexSize() == 64:
       args.append('-DMETIS_USE_LONGINDEX=1')
+    if self.framework.argDB['download-metis-use-doubleprecision']:
+      args.append('-DMETIS_USE_DOUBLEPRECISION=1')
     args.append('-DMATH_LIB="'+self.libraries.toStringNoDupes(self.mathlib.lib)+'"')
     return args