diff --git a/cmake_modules/FindGraphBLAS.cmake b/cmake_modules/FindGraphBLAS.cmake
index 2c93dcd2f1..228f835cf7 100644
--- a/cmake_modules/FindGraphBLAS.cmake
+++ b/cmake_modules/FindGraphBLAS.cmake
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ message ( STATUS "Looking for SuiteSparse GraphBLAS" )
 
 find_package ( GraphBLAS ${GraphBLAS_FIND_VERSION} CONFIG
     PATHS ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR} ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/../GraphBLAS/build NO_DEFAULT_PATH )
+set ( _lagraph_gb_common_tree ON )
 if ( NOT TARGET SuiteSparse::GraphBLAS )
     find_package ( GraphBLAS ${GraphBLAS_FIND_VERSION} CONFIG )
+    set ( _lagraph_gb_common_tree OFF )
 endif ( )
 
 if ( GraphBLAS_FOUND )
@@ -83,11 +85,14 @@ if ( GraphBLAS_FOUND )
         else ( )
             add_library ( GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS ALIAS ${_graphblas_aliased} )
         endif ( )
-        if ( GRAPHBLAS_VERSION LESS "8.3.0" )
-            # workaround for SuiteSparse:GraphBLAS 8.2.x (did not have "/Include")
+        if ( GRAPHBLAS_VERSION LESS "8.3.0" AND _lagraph_gb_common_tree )
+            # workaround for incorrect INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES of
+            # SuiteSparse:GraphBLAS 8.2.x before installation
+            # (did not have "/Include")
             get_property ( _inc TARGET GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS PROPERTY
                 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES )
-            include_directories ( ${_inc}/Include )
+            target_include_directories ( GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS INTERFACE
+                ${_inc}/Include )
             message ( STATUS "additional include: ${_inc}/Include" )
         endif ( )
     endif ( )
@@ -101,12 +106,15 @@ if ( GraphBLAS_FOUND )
         else ( )
             add_library ( GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS_static ALIAS ${_graphblas_aliased} )
         endif ( )
-        if ( GRAPHBLAS_VERSION LESS "8.3.0" )
-            # workaround for SuiteSparse:GraphBLAS 8.2.x (did not have "/Include")
+        if ( GRAPHBLAS_VERSION LESS "8.3.0" AND _lagraph_gb_common_tree )
+            # workaround for incorrect INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES of
+            # SuiteSparse:GraphBLAS 8.2.x before installation
+            # (did not have "/Include")
             get_property ( _inc TARGET GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS_static PROPERTY
                 INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES )
-            include_directories ( ${_inc}/Include )
-            message ( STATUS "additional include: ${_inc}/Include" )
+            target_include_directories ( GraphBLAS::GraphBLAS_static INTERFACE
+                ${_inc}/Include )
+           message ( STATUS "additional include: ${_inc}/Include" )
         endif ( )
     endif ( )
     return ( )
diff --git a/include/LAGraphX.h b/include/LAGraphX.h
index f194732f84..b5b8dd180d 100644
--- a/include/LAGraphX.h
+++ b/include/LAGraphX.h
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ extern "C"
 // development, and is intended only for illustration or testing, not
 // benchmarking.  Do not use for benchmarking without asking the authors.
 
-int LAGr_Reset (char *msg) ;    // primarily for testing
-
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // LAGraph_Random_*: Random number generator
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/test/test_Xinit.c b/src/test/test_Xinit.c
index e9c8b6dee4..9981e0d701 100644
--- a/src/test/test_Xinit.c
+++ b/src/test/test_Xinit.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // LAGraph/src/test/test_Xinit.c:  test LAGr_Init and LAGraph_Global
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// LAGraph, (c) 2019-2022 by The LAGraph Contributors, All Rights Reserved.
+// LAGraph, (c) 2019-2023 by The LAGraph Contributors, All Rights Reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
 //
 // For additional details (including references to third party source code and
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "LAGraph_test.h"
 #include "LAGraphX.h"
+#include "LG_init.h"
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // global variables
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ void test_Xinit (void)
 
     OK (LAGr_Init (GrB_NONBLOCKING, malloc, calloc, realloc, free, msg)) ;
     printf ("msg: [%s]\n", msg) ;
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == true) ;
 
     // LAGr_Init cannot be called twice
     int status = LAGr_Init (GrB_NONBLOCKING,
@@ -56,14 +58,17 @@ void test_Xinit (void)
 
     OK (LAGraph_Finalize (msg)) ;
 
+    // the flag is still set after LAGraph_Finalize has been called,
+    // per LAGraph policy
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == true) ;
+
     // reset and try again
-    OK (LAGr_Reset (msg)) ;
+    LG_set_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (false) ;
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == false) ;
     OK (LAGr_Init (GrB_NONBLOCKING, malloc, calloc, realloc, free, msg)) ;
-
-    // test the failure mode in LAGr_Reset
-    status = LAGr_Reset (msg) ;
-    printf ("msg: [%s]\n", msg) ;
-    TEST_CHECK (status == GrB_INVALID_VALUE) ;
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == true) ;
+    OK (LAGraph_Finalize (msg)) ;
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == true) ;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -136,12 +141,15 @@ void test_Xinit_brutal (void)
         }
     }
 
+    TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == true) ;
+
     for (int nbrutal = 0 ; nbrutal < 1000 ; nbrutal++)
     {
         LG_brutal = nbrutal ;
         // reset both GraphBLAS and LAGraph
         GB_Global_GrB_init_called_set (false) ;
-        OK (LAGr_Reset (msg)) ;
+        LG_set_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (false) ;
+        TEST_CHECK (LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ) == false) ;
         // try to initialize GraphBLAS and LAGraph
         int result = LAGr_Init (GrB_NONBLOCKING,
             LG_brutal_malloc, LG_brutal_calloc,
diff --git a/src/utility/LAGr_Init.c b/src/utility/LAGr_Init.c
index a8dabdb0d3..7fdfde8c26 100644
--- a/src/utility/LAGr_Init.c
+++ b/src/utility/LAGr_Init.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 // LAGr_Init: start GraphBLAS and LAGraph, and set malloc/etc functions
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// LAGraph, (c) 2019-2022 by The LAGraph Contributors, All Rights Reserved.
+// LAGraph, (c) 2019-2023 by The LAGraph Contributors, All Rights Reserved.
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
 //
 // For additional details (including references to third party source code and
@@ -20,10 +20,33 @@
 #include "LG_internal.h"
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// LG_init_has_been_called: a static value accessible within this file only
+// LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called: a static value only accessible within this file
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-static bool LG_init_has_been_called = false ;
+// LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called indicates if LAGr_Init has been called.
+// LAGr_Init (or LAGraph_Init) can be called only once, even after
+// LAGraph_Finalize has been called.  For testing purposes, the flag can be
+// cleared by src/test/test_Xinit, to allow LAGr_Init or LAGraph_Init to be
+// called again.
+
+static bool LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called = false ;
+
+// LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called is only modified or accessed by these two
+// routines (even in this file):
+
+#include "LG_init.h"
+
+LAGRAPH_PUBLIC
+void LG_set_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (bool setting)
+{
+    LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called = setting ;
+}
+
+LAGRAPH_PUBLIC
+bool LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (void)
+{
+    return (LG_LAGr_Init_has_been_called) ;
+}
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // LAGraph global objects
@@ -113,7 +136,7 @@ int LAGr_Init
     GrB_Info info ;
 
     // ensure LAGr_Init has not already been called
-    LG_ASSERT_MSG (!LG_init_has_been_called, GrB_INVALID_VALUE,
+    LG_ASSERT_MSG (!LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called ( ), GrB_INVALID_VALUE,
         "LAGr*_Init can only be called once") ;
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -297,37 +320,10 @@ int LAGr_Init
         GrB_MIN_MONOID_UINT64 , GrB_ONEB_UINT64)) ;
     GRB_TRY (GrB_Semiring_new (&LAGraph_any_one_fp32,
         GrB_MIN_MONOID_FP32   , GrB_ONEB_FP32  )) ;
-    // LAGraph_any_one_fp64 is the last object created:
     GRB_TRY (GrB_Semiring_new (&LAGraph_any_one_fp64,
         GrB_MIN_MONOID_FP64   , GrB_ONEB_FP64  )) ;
 
-    LG_init_has_been_called = true ;
-    return (GrB_SUCCESS) ;
-}
-
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// LAGr_Reset
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-// This method is meant primarily for testing.  It can be only called after
-// LAGraph_Finalize has been called; it returns GrB_INVALID otherwise.  The
-// method allows the testing framework to reset the internal flag that says
-// LAGr_Init has been called, so that LAGr_Init can be called again within the
-// test.
-
-int LAGr_Reset (char *msg)
-{
-    LG_CLEAR_MSG ;
-    // check if the last created object has been freed
-    if (LAGraph_any_one_fp64 != NULL)
-    {
-        LG_ASSERT_MSG (false, GrB_INVALID_VALUE,
-            "LAGr_Reset can only be called after LAGraph_Finalize"
-            " or before LAGr_Init") ;
-    }
-    // only set it to false if the object has been cleared.
-    LG_init_has_been_called = false ;
-    // now LAGr_Init can be called again.
+    LG_set_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (true) ;
     return (GrB_SUCCESS) ;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/utility/LG_init.h b/src/utility/LG_init.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73ac9ff8aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utility/LG_init.h
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// LG_init.h: include file for use within LAGraph itself
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// LAGraph, (c) 2019-2023 by The LAGraph Contributors, All Rights Reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-2-Clause
+//
+// For additional details (including references to third party source code and
+// other files) see the LICENSE file or contact permission@sei.cmu.edu. See
+// Contributors.txt for a full list of contributors. Created, in part, with
+// funding and support from the U.S. Government (see Acknowledgments.txt file).
+// DM22-0790
+
+// Contributed by Timothy A. Davis, Texas A&M University
+
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// These definitions are not meant for the user application that relies on
+// LAGraph and/or GraphBLAS.  LG_* methods are for internal use in LAGraph.
+
+#ifndef LG_INIT_H
+#define LG_INIT_H
+
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// definitions used in LAGr_Init.c and for testing
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+LAGRAPH_PUBLIC void LG_set_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (bool setting) ;
+LAGRAPH_PUBLIC bool LG_get_LAGr_Init_has_been_called (void) ;
+
+#endif
+