diff --git a/src/mesh/discretization_mesh.f90 b/src/mesh/discretization_mesh.f90
index 5cd12549e..3f5811a5c 100644
--- a/src/mesh/discretization_mesh.f90
+++ b/src/mesh/discretization_mesh.f90
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ module discretization_mesh
   real(pREAL), dimension(:,:,:), allocatable :: &
     mesh_ipCoordinates                                                                              !< IP x,y,z coordinates (after deformation!)
 
-#ifdef PETSC_USE_64BIT_INDICES
+#if defined(PETSC_USE_64BIT_INDICES) || PETSC_VERSION_MINOR < 17
   external :: &
     DMDestroy
 #endif
diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh_mech_FEM.f90 b/src/mesh/mesh_mech_FEM.f90
index 43a1b0579..d08906439 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh_mech_FEM.f90
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh_mech_FEM.f90
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ module mesh_mechanical_FEM
   real(pREAL), parameter :: eps = 1.0e-18_pREAL
 
   external :: &                                                                                     ! ToDo: write interfaces
-#ifdef PETSC_USE_64BIT_INDICES
+#if defined(PETSC_USE_64BIT_INDICES) || PETSC_VERSION_MINOR < 17
     ISDestroy, &
 #endif
     PetscSectionGetNumFields, &