diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c673c24eddc04abd83ab62b10e1779d9c55fe9a9..b7bec9978dc643b00a65cac6d1dd5ec173fb4394 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,8 +31,14 @@ add_subdirectory(pythia6m/radiator)
 add_subdirectory(pythia6m/radgen)
 add_subdirectory(pythia6m/pythia6)
 
-add_subdirectory(nanocernlib)
-
+find_package(nanocernlib)
+if(NOT ${nanocernlib_LIBRARIES})
+  message(STATUS "Using internal nanocernlib")
+  add_subdirectory(nanocernlib)
+else()
+  message(STATUS "Using nanocernlib at ${NANOCERNLIB_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+endif()
+ 
 add_subdirectory(program)
 
 ################################################################################