diff --git a/opm/autodiff/BlackoilModelEbos.hpp b/opm/autodiff/BlackoilModelEbos.hpp
index f6811621c..fc3730334 100644
--- a/opm/autodiff/BlackoilModelEbos.hpp
+++ b/opm/autodiff/BlackoilModelEbos.hpp
@@ -76,6 +76,12 @@ SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, ExportGlobalTransmissibility, true);
 // default in flow is to formulate the equations in surface volumes
 SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, BlackoilConserveSurfaceVolume, true);
 SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, UseVolumetricResidual, false);
+
+// disable all extensions supported by black oil model. this should not really be
+// necessary but it makes things a bit more explicit
+SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, EnablePolymer, false);
+SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, EnableSolvent, false);
+SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowProblem, EnableEnergy, false);
 }}
 
 namespace Opm {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_gasoil.cpp b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_gasoil.cpp
index cf80c599d..3b0defb32 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_gasoil.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_gasoil.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,24 @@
 namespace Ewoms {
 namespace Properties {
 NEW_TYPE_TAG(EclFlowGasOilProblem, INHERITS_FROM(EclFlowProblem));
+
 //! The indices required by the model
-SET_TYPE_PROP(EclFlowGasOilProblem, Indices,
-              Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent)?1:0,
-                GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer)?1:0,
-                /*PVOffset=*/0, /*disabledCompIdx=*/1>);
+SET_PROP(EclFlowGasOilProblem, Indices)
+{
+private:
+    // it is unfortunately not possible to simply use 'TypeTag' here because this leads
+    // to cyclic definitions of some properties. if this happens the compiler error
+    // messages unfortunately are *really* confusing and not really helpful.
+    typedef TTAG(EclFlowProblem) BaseTypeTag;
+    typedef typename GET_PROP_TYPE(BaseTypeTag, FluidSystem) FluidSystem;
+
+public:
+    typedef Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableEnergy),
+                                           /*PVOffset=*/0,
+                                           /*disabledCompIdx=*/FluidSystem::waterCompIdx> type;
+};
 }}
 
 namespace Opm {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater.cpp b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater.cpp
index 3fcbbc078..e12d3ebfe 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,24 @@
 namespace Ewoms {
 namespace Properties {
 NEW_TYPE_TAG(EclFlowOilWaterProblem, INHERITS_FROM(EclFlowProblem));
+
 //! The indices required by the model
-SET_TYPE_PROP(EclFlowOilWaterProblem, Indices,
-              Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent)?1:0,
-                GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer)?1:0,
-                /*PVOffset=*/0, /*disabledCompIdx=*/2>);
+SET_PROP(EclFlowOilWaterProblem, Indices)
+{
+private:
+    // it is unfortunately not possible to simply use 'TypeTag' here because this leads
+    // to cyclic definitions of some properties. if this happens the compiler error
+    // messages unfortunately are *really* confusing and not really helpful.
+    typedef TTAG(EclFlowProblem) BaseTypeTag;
+    typedef typename GET_PROP_TYPE(BaseTypeTag, FluidSystem) FluidSystem;
+
+public:
+    typedef Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableEnergy),
+                                           /*PVOffset=*/0,
+                                           /*disabledCompIdx=*/FluidSystem::gasCompIdx> type;
+};
 }}
 
 namespace Opm {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.cpp b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.cpp
index 0c8fc1669..71f0d77f7 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow_ebos_oilwater_polymer.cpp
@@ -39,10 +39,23 @@ namespace Properties {
 NEW_TYPE_TAG(EclFlowOilWaterPolymerProblem, INHERITS_FROM(EclFlowProblem));
 SET_BOOL_PROP(EclFlowOilWaterPolymerProblem, EnablePolymer, true);
 //! The indices required by the model
-SET_TYPE_PROP(EclFlowOilWaterPolymerProblem, Indices,
-              Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent) ? 1 : 0,
-              GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer) ? 1 : 0,
-              /*PVOffset =*/ 0, /*disabledCompIdx=*/ 2>);
+//! The indices required by the model
+SET_PROP(EclFlowOilWaterPolymerProblem, Indices)
+{
+private:
+    // it is unfortunately not possible to simply use 'TypeTag' here because this leads
+    // to cyclic definitions of some properties. if this happens the compiler error
+    // messages unfortunately are *really* confusing and not really helpful.
+    typedef TTAG(EclFlowProblem) BaseTypeTag;
+    typedef typename GET_PROP_TYPE(BaseTypeTag, FluidSystem) FluidSystem;
+
+public:
+    typedef Ewoms::BlackOilTwoPhaseIndices<GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableSolvent),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnablePolymer),
+                                           GET_PROP_VALUE(TypeTag, EnableEnergy),
+                                           /*PVOffset=*/0,
+                                           /*disabledCompIdx=*/FluidSystem::gasCompIdx> type;
+};
 }}
 
 namespace Opm {