--- a/cmake/OpenCVFindProtobuf.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVFindProtobuf.cmake
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ else()
   set(protobuf_MODULE_COMPATIBLE ON)
 
   unset(Protobuf_VERSION CACHE)
-  find_package(Protobuf QUIET CONFIG)
+  find_package(Protobuf CONFIG REQUIRED)
   if(NOT Protobuf_FOUND)
     find_package(Protobuf QUIET)
   endif()
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ if(HAVE_PROTOBUF)
     unset( __location)
     if(TARGET "${Protobuf_LIBRARIES}")
       get_target_property(__location "${Protobuf_LIBRARIES}" IMPORTED_LOCATION_RELEASE)
+      get_target_property(__location_debug "${Protobuf_LIBRARIES}" IMPORTED_LOCATION_DEBUG)
       if(NOT __location)
         get_target_property(__location "${Protobuf_LIBRARIES}" IMPORTED_LOCATION)
       endif()
@@ -112,5 +113,5 @@ if(HAVE_PROTOBUF)
   endif()
   list(APPEND CUSTOM_STATUS_protobuf "    Protobuf:"
     BUILD_PROTOBUF THEN "build (${Protobuf_VERSION})"
-    ELSE "${__location} (${Protobuf_VERSION})")
+    ELSE "optimized ${__location} debug ${__location_debug} ; version (${Protobuf_VERSION})")
 endif()