diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 19fc920143..62c1ba449f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -164,9 +164,9 @@ if (RESINSIGHT_ENABLE_PROTOTYPE_FEATURE_SOURING)
 	        message( WARNING "Use of HDF5 is enabled, but RESINSIGHT_HDF5_DIR is empty. Specify RESINSIGHT_HDF5_DIR to be able to use HDF5" )
         endif()
     else()
-	    add_definitions(-DH5_BUILT_AS_DYNAMIC_LIB)
-        find_package(HDF5 REQUIRED COMPONENTS CXX)
+        find_package(HDF5 COMPONENTS CXX)
         if (HDF5_FOUND)
+	        add_definitions(-DH5_BUILT_AS_DYNAMIC_LIB)
 		    add_definitions(${HDF5_DEFINITIONS})
 		    include_directories(${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS})