diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 31fa8b4..9852fa0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@
 #########
 .PHONY: develop build build-verilator install dependencies-linux dependencies-macos dependencies-win copy-verilator copy-verilator-win update-verilator-config
 
+VERILATOR_CMAKE_ARGS := \
+	-DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=23 \
+	-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=verilator
+
+ifneq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
+VERILATOR_CMAKE_ARGS += \
+	-DFLEX_EXECUTABLE=/usr/bin/flex \
+	-DFLEX_INCLUDE_DIR=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/include
+endif
+
 develop:  ## install dependencies and build library
 	uv pip install -e .[develop]
 
@@ -26,7 +36,7 @@ dependencies-win:
 
 build-verilator:  ## build verilator
 	git submodule update --init --recursive
-	cmake -B build src -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17 -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=verilator
+	cmake -B build src $(VERILATOR_CMAKE_ARGS)
 	cmake --build build --config Release -j 3
 	cmake --install build
 
@@ -52,16 +62,16 @@ lint-py:  ## lint python with ruff
 	python -m ruff format --check verilator
 
 lint-docs:  ## lint docs with mdformat and codespell
-	python -m mdformat --check README.md 
-	python -m codespell_lib README.md 
+	python -m mdformat --check README.md
+	python -m codespell_lib README.md
 
 fix-py:  ## autoformat python code with ruff
 	python -m ruff check --fix verilator
 	python -m ruff format verilator
 
 fix-docs:  ## autoformat docs with mdformat and codespell
-	python -m mdformat README.md 
-	python -m codespell_lib --write README.md 
+	python -m mdformat README.md
+	python -m codespell_lib --write README.md
 
 lint: lint-py lint-docs  ## run all linters
 lints: lint
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de26d1f..1766022 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ verilator-cli build sv/*.sv --includes sv --top-module top --exe sv/sim_sv.cpp
 ```
 
 ## License
+
 This software is licensed under the Apache 2.0 license. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
 
 Verilator is Copyright 2003-2026 by Wilson Snyder. Verilator is free software subject to either the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 3 or the Perl Artistic License Version 2.0.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 166217d..aaad580 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 [build-system]
 requires = [
     "hatchling",
+    "systemc",
 ]
 build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ authors = [
 description = "Python wrapping/binding for verilator"
 readme = "README.md"
 license = { text = "Apache-2.0" }
-version = "5.44.0"
+version = "5.48.0"
 requires-python = ">=3.10"
 keywords = []
 
@@ -27,7 +28,9 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14",
 ]
 
-dependencies = []
+dependencies = [
+    "systemc",
+]
 
 [project.optional-dependencies]
 cli = [
@@ -60,7 +63,7 @@ Repository = "https://github.com/dau-dev/verilator-python"
 Homepage = "https://github.com/dau-dev/verilator-python"
 
 [tool.bumpversion]
-current_version = "5.44.0"
+current_version = "5.48.0"
 commit = true
 tag = true
 commit_args = "-s"
@@ -155,6 +158,11 @@ exclude = [
     "/pyproject.toml",
 ]
 
+[tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel.shared-data]
+"verilator/include" = "include/verilator"
+"verilator/lib" = "lib/verilator"
+"verilator/share" = "share/verilator"
+
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 addopts = [
     "-vvv",
diff --git a/src b/src
index 8df584c..4e853d8 160000
--- a/src
+++ b/src
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 8df584ca1ddde5c8afbd15dc5fdcb677a78f9af2
+Subproject commit 4e853d8cb6a51b5b96fe61cc2c1891b10f78972c
diff --git a/verilator/__init__.py b/verilator/__init__.py
index 39b8519..db0c354 100644
--- a/verilator/__init__.py
+++ b/verilator/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "5.44.0"
+__version__ = "5.48.0"
diff --git a/verilator/cli.py b/verilator/cli.py
index ccda2f2..e956445 100644
--- a/verilator/cli.py
+++ b/verilator/cli.py
@@ -24,9 +24,27 @@ def _get_verilator() -> str:
         verilator_exe = str((verilator_root / "bin" / "verilator").resolve())
         environ["VERILATOR_ROOT"] = str(verilator_root.as_posix())
         environ["CXXFLAGS"] = environ.get("CXXFLAGS", "--std=c++20 -DVL_TIME_CONTEXT")
+    _set_systemc_env()
     return verilator_exe
 
 
+def _set_systemc_env() -> None:
+    """Point Verilator at the bundled ``systemc`` Python package's headers/libs.
+
+    Resolved at runtime so the paths are correct regardless of where ``systemc``
+    was installed during the build (build isolation, different venvs, etc.).
+    Existing ``SYSTEMC_INCLUDE`` / ``SYSTEMC_LIBDIR`` env vars take precedence.
+    """
+    if environ.get("SYSTEMC_INCLUDE") and environ.get("SYSTEMC_LIBDIR"):
+        return
+    try:
+        import systemc
+    except ImportError:
+        return
+    environ.setdefault("SYSTEMC_INCLUDE", systemc.include_path())
+    environ.setdefault("SYSTEMC_LIBDIR", systemc.lib_path())
+
+
 def verilator(argv):
     build_cmd = [
         _get_verilator(),
diff --git a/verilator/tests/module/ff_tb.sv b/verilator/tests/module/ff_tb.sv
index 60776c6..f307d5b 100755
--- a/verilator/tests/module/ff_tb.sv
+++ b/verilator/tests/module/ff_tb.sv
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ program ff_tb(ff_ifc.bench ds);
 
     /* begin testing */
     repeat(v.iter) begin
-      int _ = v.randomize();
+      static int _ = v.randomize();
 
       ds.reset = 1'b0;
       ds.valid_i = 1'b1;