diff --git a/flow/flow.cpp b/flow/flow.cpp
index 1abc4acfd..50063aa74 100644
--- a/flow/flow.cpp
+++ b/flow/flow.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,22 @@
   along with OPM.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 #include "config.h"
-#include <opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp>
+#include <opm/models/utils/propertysystem.hh>
+#include <opm/models/utils/parametersystem.hh>
 
+BEGIN_PROPERTIES
+
+NEW_TYPE_TAG(EclFlowProblemMain);
+
+END_PROPERTIES
+
+#define OPM_FLOW_MAIN
+#include <opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp>
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
-    auto mainObject = Opm::Main(argc, argv);
+    using TypeTag = TTAG(EclFlowProblemMain);
+    auto mainObject = Opm::Main<TypeTag>(argc, argv);
     return mainObject.run();
 }
 
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp
index 6419ae56e..bf7398858 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp
@@ -24,21 +24,39 @@
 
 #include <flow/flow_ebos_blackoil.hpp>
 
-#ifndef FLOW_BLACKOIL_ONLY
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_gasoil.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_solvent.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_polymer.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_foam.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_brine.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_energy.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.hpp>
-#include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer_injectivity.hpp>
+#ifdef OPM_FLOW_MAIN
+# ifndef FLOW_BLACKOIL_ONLY
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_gasoil.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_solvent.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_polymer.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_foam.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_brine.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_energy.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.hpp>
+#  include <flow/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer_injectivity.hpp>
+# endif
+# include <opm/simulators/utils/moduleVersion.hpp>
+# include <opm/io/eclipse/rst/state.hpp>
+# include <opm/io/eclipse/ERst.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/SummaryConfig/SummaryConfig.hpp>
+#else  /* OPM_FLOW_MAIN */
+# include <opm/simulators/flow/SimulatorFullyImplicitBlackoilEbos.hpp>
+# include <opm/common/utility/parameters/ParameterGroup.hpp>
+# include <opm/material/common/ResetLocale.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/Python/Python.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/ParseContext.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/ErrorGuard.hpp>
+# include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/UDQ/UDQAssign.hpp>
+//# include <opm/material/fluidsystems/BlackOilFluidSystemSimple.hpp>
+//# include <opm/material/fluidsystems/BlackOilFluidSystemSimple.hpp>
+# include <opm/models/blackoil/blackoilintensivequantities.hh>
+# include <opm/material/fluidstates/BlackOilFluidState.hpp>
+//# include <opm/material/fluidstates/BlackOilFluidStateSimple.hpp>
 #endif
 
-#include <opm/simulators/flow/Main.hpp>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/FlowMainEbos.hpp>
-#include <opm/simulators/utils/moduleVersion.hpp>
 #include <opm/models/utils/propertysystem.hh>
 #include <opm/models/utils/parametersystem.hh>
 #include <opm/simulators/flow/MissingFeatures.hpp>
@@ -47,18 +65,11 @@
 #include <opm/common/OpmLog/EclipsePRTLog.hpp>
 #include <opm/common/OpmLog/LogUtil.hpp>
 
-#include <opm/io/eclipse/rst/state.hpp>
-#include <opm/io/eclipse/ERst.hpp>
 
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/Deck.hpp>
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/Parser.hpp>
-#include <opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/ParseContext.hpp>
-#include <opm/parser/eclipse/Parser/ErrorGuard.hpp>
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/EclipseState.hpp>
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/checkDeck.hpp>
-#include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/Schedule.hpp>
-#include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/SummaryConfig/SummaryConfig.hpp>
-
 #include <opm/parser/eclipse/EclipseState/Schedule/ArrayDimChecker.hpp>
 
 #if HAVE_DUNE_FEM
@@ -72,6 +83,8 @@
 #include <opm/simulators/utils/ParallelSerialization.hpp>
 #endif
 
+#include <type_traits>
+
 BEGIN_PROPERTIES
 
 // this is a dummy type tag that is used to setup the parameters before the actual
@@ -80,6 +93,41 @@ NEW_TYPE_TAG(FlowEarlyBird, INHERITS_FROM(EclFlowProblem));
 
 END_PROPERTIES
 
+//#ifndef OPM_FLOW_MAIN  // NOTE: since the methods in this #ifndef block are
+//                          are template functions they will not be included
+//                          in the code if not used, so #ifndef is commented out
+namespace Opm {
+  template <class TypeTag>
+  void flowEbosSetDeck(Deck *deck, EclipseState& eclState, Schedule& schedule, SummaryConfig& summaryConfig)
+  {
+    typedef typename GET_PROP_TYPE(TypeTag, Vanguard) Vanguard;
+    Vanguard::setExternalDeck(deck);
+    Vanguard::setExternalEclState(&eclState);
+    Vanguard::setExternalSchedule(&schedule);
+    Vanguard::setExternalSummaryConfig(&summaryConfig);
+  }
+
+// ----------------- Main program -----------------
+  template <class TypeTag>
+  int flowEbosMain(int argc, char** argv, bool outputCout, bool outputFiles)
+  {
+    // we always want to use the default locale, and thus spare us the trouble
+    // with incorrect locale settings.
+    Opm::resetLocale();
+
+# if HAVE_DUNE_FEM
+    Dune::Fem::MPIManager::initialize(argc, argv);
+# else
+    Dune::MPIHelper::instance(argc, argv);
+# endif
+    Opm::FlowMainEbos<TypeTag> mainfunc;
+    return mainfunc.execute(argc, argv, outputCout, outputFiles);
+  }
+
+}
+
+//#endif  /* #ifndef OPM_FLOW_MAIN */
+
 namespace Opm
 {
     // ----------------- Main class -----------------
@@ -89,6 +137,7 @@ namespace Opm
     //   want to run the whole simulation by calling run(), it is also
     //   useful to just run one report step at a time. According to these different
     //   usage scenarios, we refactored the original run() in flow.cpp into this class.
+    template <class TypeTag>
     class Main
     {
     private:
@@ -329,17 +378,20 @@ namespace Opm
             }
             catch (const std::exception& e) {
                 if ( mpiRank == 0 )
+#ifdef OPM_FLOW_MAIN
                     std::cerr << "Exception received: " << e.what() << ". Try '--help' for a usage description.\n";
+#else
+                    Opm::Parameters::printUsage<PreTypeTag>(PreProblem::helpPreamble(
+                            argc, const_cast<const char**>(argv)), e.what());
+#endif
 #if HAVE_MPI
                 MPI_Finalize();
 #endif
                 return 1;
             }
-
             if (outputCout) {
                 Opm::FlowMainEbos<PreTypeTag>::printBanner();
             }
-
             // Create Deck and EclipseState.
             try {
                 if (outputCout) {
@@ -380,6 +432,7 @@ namespace Opm
 #else
                         eclipseState.reset(new Opm::EclipseState(*deck));
 #endif
+#ifdef OPM_FLOW_MAIN
                         /*
                           For the time being initializing wells and groups from the
                           restart file is not possible, but work is underways and it is
@@ -395,7 +448,9 @@ namespace Opm
                             schedule.reset(new Opm::Schedule(*deck, *eclipseState, parseContext, errorGuard, python, &rst_state) );
                         } else
                             schedule.reset(new Opm::Schedule(*deck, *eclipseState, parseContext, errorGuard, python));
-
+#else
+                        schedule.reset(new Opm::Schedule(*deck, *eclipseState, parseContext, errorGuard, python));
+#endif /*OPM_FLOW_MAIN */
                         setupMessageLimiter_(schedule->getMessageLimits(), "STDOUT_LOGGER");
                         summaryConfig.reset( new Opm::SummaryConfig(*deck, *schedule, eclipseState->getTableManager(), parseContext, errorGuard));
                     }
@@ -417,8 +472,9 @@ namespace Opm
                         throw std::runtime_error("Unrecoverable errors were encountered while loading input.");
                     }
                 }
-                const auto& phases = eclipseState->runspec().phases();
                 bool outputFiles = (outputMode != FileOutputMode::OUTPUT_NONE);
+#ifdef OPM_FLOW_MAIN
+                const auto& phases = eclipseState->runspec().phases();
                 // run the actual simulator
                 //
                 // TODO: make sure that no illegal combinations like thermal and twophase are
@@ -504,6 +560,10 @@ namespace Opm
                         std::cerr << "No suitable configuration found, valid are Twophase, polymer, foam, brine, solvent, energy, blackoil." << std::endl;
                     return EXIT_FAILURE;
                 }
+#else
+            Opm::flowEbosSetDeck<TypeTag>(deck.get(), *eclipseState, *schedule, *summaryConfig);
+            return Opm::flowEbosMain<TypeTag>(argc, argv, outputCout, outputFiles);
+#endif /* OPM_FLOW_MAIN */
             }
             catch (const std::invalid_argument& e)
             {