diff --git a/CMakePresets.json b/CMakePresets.json
index facf23187c44..93d5082399e6 100644
--- a/CMakePresets.json
+++ b/CMakePresets.json
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@
             "description": "use HIP back-end on AMD GPUs",
             "inherits": "develop",
             "cacheVariables": {
-                "CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER": "hipcc",
                 "alpaka_ACC_CPU_B_SEQ_T_SEQ_ENABLE": "ON",
                 "alpaka_ACC_GPU_HIP_ENABLE": "ON"
             }
diff --git a/cmake/addExecutable.cmake b/cmake/addExecutable.cmake
index 41b7e31200a3..f80f3ae8769f 100644
--- a/cmake/addExecutable.cmake
+++ b/cmake/addExecutable.cmake
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ macro(alpaka_add_executable In_Name)
         foreach(_file ${ARGN})
             if((${_file} MATCHES "\\.cpp$") OR
                (${_file} MATCHES "\\.cxx$") OR
-               (${_file} MATCHES "\\.cu$") OR
                (${_file} MATCHES "\\.hip$")
             )
                 set_source_files_properties(${_file} PROPERTIES LANGUAGE HIP)
diff --git a/cmake/addLibrary.cmake b/cmake/addLibrary.cmake
index 43b87def5c5a..103b35630803 100644
--- a/cmake/addLibrary.cmake
+++ b/cmake/addLibrary.cmake
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ macro(alpaka_add_library libraryName)
         foreach(_file ${ARGN})
             if((${_file} MATCHES "\\.cpp$") OR
                (${_file} MATCHES "\\.cxx$") OR
-               (${_file} MATCHES "\\.cu$") OR
                (${_file} MATCHES "\\.hip$")
             )
                 set_source_files_properties(${_file} PROPERTIES LANGUAGE HIP)
diff --git a/cmake/alpakaCommon.cmake b/cmake/alpakaCommon.cmake
index 74dce9fd0c87..ad2325196e1b 100644
--- a/cmake/alpakaCommon.cmake
+++ b/cmake/alpakaCommon.cmake
@@ -512,14 +512,32 @@ if(alpaka_ACC_GPU_HIP_ENABLE)
     if(CMAKE_HIP_COMPILER)
         enable_language(HIP)
         find_package(hip REQUIRED)
-        target_link_libraries(alpaka INTERFACE "$<$<LINK_LANGUAGE:CXX>:hip::host")
+
+        set(_alpaka_HIP_MIN_VER 5.1)
+        set(_alpaka_HIP_MAX_VER 6.0)
+
+        # construct hip version only with major and minor level
+        # cannot use hip_VERSION because of the patch level
+        # 6.0 is smaller than 6.0.1234, so _alpaka_HIP_MAX_VER would have to be defined with a large patch level or
+        # the next minor level, e.g. 6.1, would have to be used.
+        set(_hip_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION "${hip_VERSION_MAJOR}.${hip_VERSION_MINOR}")
+
+        if(${_hip_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION} VERSION_LESS ${_alpaka_HIP_MIN_VER} OR ${_hip_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER ${_alpaka_HIP_MAX_VER})
+            message(WARNING "HIP ${_hip_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION} is not official supported by alpaka. Supported versions: ${_alpaka_HIP_MIN_VER} - ${_alpaka_HIP_MAX_VER}")
+        endif()
+
+
+        target_link_libraries(alpaka INTERFACE "$<$<LINK_LANGUAGE:CXX>:hip::host>")
+        alpaka_set_compiler_options(HOST_DEVICE target alpaka "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:CXX>:-D__HIP_PLATFORM_AMD__>")
+        # only required for HIP 5.1 and maybe older
+        alpaka_set_compiler_options(HOST_DEVICE target alpaka "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:CXX>:-D__HIP_PLATFORM_HCC__>")
 
         alpaka_compiler_option(HIP_KEEP_FILES "Keep all intermediate files that are generated during internal compilation steps 'CMakeFiles/<targetname>.dir'" OFF)
         if(alpaka_HIP_KEEP_FILES)
             alpaka_set_compiler_options(HOST_DEVICE target alpaka "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:HIP>:SHELL:-save-temps>")
         endif()
 
-        if(alpaka_FAST_MATH)
+        if(alpaka_FAST_MATH STREQUAL ON)
             alpaka_set_compiler_options(DEVICE target alpaka "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:HIP>:SHELL:-ffast-math>")
         endif()
 
diff --git a/docs/source/advanced/cmake.rst b/docs/source/advanced/cmake.rst
index df0541094943..3e12f4a1f340 100644
--- a/docs/source/advanced/cmake.rst
+++ b/docs/source/advanced/cmake.rst
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ alpaka_ACC_GPU_HIP_ONLY_MODE
 
      Only back-ends using HIP can be enabled in this mode.
 
-GPU_TARGETS
+CMAKE_HIP_ARCHITECTURES
   .. code-block::
 
      Set the GPU architecture: e.g. "gfx900;gfx906;gfx908".
diff --git a/script/install_hip.sh b/script/install_hip.sh
index 9a1bd568146d..3d71095b54f1 100755
--- a/script/install_hip.sh
+++ b/script/install_hip.sh
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ fi
 if [ -z ${CI_GPU_ARCH+x} ] ; then
     # In case the runner is not providing a GPU architecture e.g. a CPU runner set the architecture
     # to Radeon VII or MI50/60.
-    export GPU_TARGETS="gfx906"
+    export CMAKE_HIP_ARCHITECTURES="gfx906"
 fi
 
 # environment overview