diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e9d37f281..d535492dc 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ endif()
 
 # Dummy project to determine compiler names and version
 project(Prerequisites LANGUAGES)
-set(ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH} "$ENV{PETSC_DIR}/$ENV{PETSC_ARCH}/lib/pkgconfig")
+set(ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH} "$ENV{PETSC_DIR}/$ENV{PETSC_ARCH}/lib/pkgconfig:$ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH}")
 pkg_check_modules(PETSC_MIN REQUIRED PETSc>=3.12.0 QUIET) #CMake does not support version range
 pkg_check_modules(PETSC REQUIRED PETSc<3.18.0)
 
@@ -27,6 +27,12 @@ else()
 endif()
 add_definitions("-D${DAMASK_SOLVER}")
 
+# EXPERIMENTAL: This might help to detect HDF5 and FFTW3 in the future if PETSc is not aware of them
+set(ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH} "$ENV{PETSC_DIR}/$ENV{PETSC_ARCH}/externalpackages:$ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH}")
+message($ENV{PKG_CONFIG_PATH})
+pkg_check_modules(HDF5 hdf5)
+pkg_check_modules(FFTW3 fftw3)
+
 file(STRINGS ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION DAMASK_VERSION)
 
 message("\nBuilding ${CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME} ${DAMASK_VERSION}\n")