diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7ee10f566..8c7b129f0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ 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")
-pkg_search_module(PETSC REQUIRED PETSc>=3.12.0 PETSc<3.17.0)
+pkg_check_modules(PETSC REQUIRED PETSc>=3.12.0 PETSc<3.17.0)
 pkg_get_variable(CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER PETSc fcompiler)
 pkg_get_variable(CMAKE_C_COMPILER PETSc ccompiler)