diff --git a/dlib/CMakeLists.txt b/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -747,32 +750,15 @@
 
 
       if (DLIB_LINK_WITH_SQLITE3)
-         find_library(sqlite sqlite3)
-         # make sure sqlite3.h is in the include path
-         find_path(sqlite_path sqlite3.h)
-         if (sqlite AND sqlite_path)
-            set(dlib_needed_includes ${dlib_needed_includes} ${sqlite_path})
-            set(dlib_needed_libraries ${dlib_needed_libraries} ${sqlite} )
-         else()
-            set(DLIB_LINK_WITH_SQLITE3 OFF CACHE STRING ${DLIB_LINK_WITH_SQLITE3_STR} FORCE )
-         endif()
-         mark_as_advanced(sqlite sqlite_path)
+         find_package(sqlite3 CONFIG)
+         set(dlib_needed_libraries ${dlib_needed_libraries} sqlite3 )
       endif()
 
 
 
       if (DLIB_USE_FFTW)
-         find_library(fftw fftw3)
-         # make sure fftw3.h is in the include path
-         find_path(fftw_path fftw3.h)
-         if (fftw AND fftw_path)
-            set(dlib_needed_includes ${dlib_needed_includes} ${fftw_path})
-            set(dlib_needed_libraries ${dlib_needed_libraries} ${fftw} )
-         else()
-            set(DLIB_USE_FFTW OFF CACHE STRING ${DLIB_USE_FFTW_STR} FORCE )
-            toggle_preprocessor_switch(DLIB_USE_FFTW)
-         endif()
-         mark_as_advanced(fftw fftw_path)
+         find_package(FFTW3 CONFIG)
+         set(dlib_needed_libraries ${dlib_needed_libraries} FFTW3::fftw3)
       endif()
 
 
--- a/dlib/cmake_utils/dlibConfig.cmake.in
+++ b/dlib/cmake_utils/dlibConfig.cmake.in
@@ -28,6 +28,14 @@
    include("${dlib_CMAKE_DIR}/dlib.cmake")
 endif()
 
+include(CMakeFindDependencyMacro)
+if("@DLIB_USE_FFTW@")
+   find_dependency(FFTW3 CONFIG)
+endif()
+if("@DLIB_LINK_WITH_SQLITE3@")
+   find_dependency(sqlite3 CONFIG)
+endif()
+
 set(dlib_LIBRARIES dlib::dlib)
 set(dlib_LIBS      dlib::dlib)
 set(dlib_INCLUDE_DIRS "@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_INCLUDEDIR@" "@dlib_needed_includes@")