diff --git a/conda.recipe/meta.yaml b/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
index 211273269..9a03d7c34 100644
--- a/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/conda.recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ requirements:
     - pybind11
     - xsimd
     - xtensor
+    - xtensor-python
 
   run:
     - appdirs
diff --git a/hexrd/transforms/cpp_sublibrary/src/inverse_distortion.cpp b/hexrd/transforms/cpp_sublibrary/src/inverse_distortion.cpp
index 799f9dfff..196c31394 100644
--- a/hexrd/transforms/cpp_sublibrary/src/inverse_distortion.cpp
+++ b/hexrd/transforms/cpp_sublibrary/src/inverse_distortion.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #define FORCE_IMPORT_ARRAY
+#define XTENSOR_USE_XSIMD
 
 #include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
 #include <xtensor/xmath.hpp>
diff --git a/scripts/install/install_build_dependencies.py b/scripts/install/install_build_dependencies.py
index 451efc189..abc5299f0 100755
--- a/scripts/install/install_build_dependencies.py
+++ b/scripts/install/install_build_dependencies.py
@@ -55,6 +55,26 @@ def download_xtensor(path):
     return str(target_path)
 
 
+def download_xtensor_python(path):
+    url = 'https://github.com/xtensor-stack/xtensor-python/archive/refs/tags/0.26.1.tar.gz'  # noqa
+    md5sum = '5d05edf71ac948dc620968229320c791'
+    out_dir_name = 'xtensor-python-0.26.1'
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        download_and_extract_tgz(url, md5sum, temp_dir)
+
+        target_path = Path(path) / 'xtensor-python'
+        if target_path.exists():
+            shutil.rmtree(target_path)
+
+        os.makedirs(path, exist_ok=True)
+        shutil.move(
+            str(Path(temp_dir) / out_dir_name / 'include/xtensor-python'),
+            str(Path(path) / 'xtensor-python/xtensor-python'))
+
+    return str(target_path)
+
+
 def download_xtl(path):
     url = 'https://github.com/xtensor-stack/xtl/archive/refs/tags/0.7.7.tar.gz'  # noqa
     md5sum = '6df56ae8bc30471f6773b3f18642c8ab'
@@ -75,9 +95,9 @@ def download_xtl(path):
 
 
 def download_xsimd(path):
-    url = 'https://github.com/xtensor-stack/xsimd/archive/refs/tags/7.6.0.tar.gz'  # noqa
-    md5sum = '6e52c2af8b3cb4688993a0e70825f4e8'
-    out_dir_name = 'xsimd-7.6.0'
+    url = 'https://github.com/xtensor-stack/xsimd/archive/refs/tags/12.1.1.tar.gz'  # noqa
+    md5sum = 'e8887de343bd6036bdfa1f4a4752dc64'
+    out_dir_name = 'xsimd-12.1.1'
 
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
         download_and_extract_tgz(url, md5sum, temp_dir)
@@ -125,7 +145,6 @@ def download_pybind11(path):
         shutil.move(str(Path(temp_dir) / out_dir_name / 'include/pybind11'),
                     str(Path(path) / 'pybind11/pybind11'))
 
-
     return str(target_path)
 
 
@@ -134,6 +153,7 @@ def download_pybind11(path):
     'pybind11': download_pybind11,
     'xsimd': download_xsimd,
     'xtensor': download_xtensor,
+    'xtensor-python': download_xtensor_python,
     'xtl': download_xtl,
 }
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 7c1dd8c0f..785a82391 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ def get_cpp_extensions():
     include_dirs = [
         get_include_path('xsimd'),
         get_include_path('xtensor'),
+        get_include_path('xtensor-python'),
         get_include_path('xtl'),
         get_pybind11_include_path(),
         numpy.get_include(),