diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 83dd702b..fa98e0e0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ if(CPPAN_BUILD)
     add_subdirectory(.cppan)
 else()
     find_package(PkgConfig)
-    if(PKG_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE)
+    if(PKG_CONFIG_EXECUTABLE and NOT Leptonica_DIR)
         pkg_check_modules(Leptonica REQUIRED lept>=${MINIMUM_LEPTONICA_VERSION})
         link_directories(${Leptonica_LIBRARY_DIRS})
     else()