diff --git a/cmake/dependencies/add_freeimage.cmake b/cmake/dependencies/add_freeimage.cmake
index 944d452..3916352 100644
--- a/cmake/dependencies/add_freeimage.cmake
+++ b/cmake/dependencies/add_freeimage.cmake
@@ -67,13 +67,4 @@ else()
                 )
         endif()
     endif()
-
-    # copy runtime dependencies
-    # copy system libraries only on windows, we assume the libraries are installed in a unix environment
-    if(NOT __TARGET_ADD_DEPENDENCY_NO_RUNTIME_COPY AND WINDOWS)
-        target_copy_to_output_dir(TARGET ${__TARGET_ADD_DEPENDENCY_TARGET}
-            FILES
-                ${MDL_DEPENDENCY_FREEIMAGE_SHARED}
-            )
-    endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/cmake/find/find_freeimage_ext.cmake b/cmake/find/find_freeimage_ext.cmake
index b11573a..703458e 100644
--- a/cmake/find/find_freeimage_ext.cmake
+++ b/cmake/find/find_freeimage_ext.cmake
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
 
 function(FIND_FREEIMAGE_EXT)
 
+    find_package(freeimage CONFIG REQUIRED)
+    if(0)
+
     set(FREEIMAGE_DIR "NOT-SPECIFIED" CACHE PATH "Directory that contains the freeimage library and the corresponding headers.")
     #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -90,6 +93,37 @@ function(FIND_FREEIMAGE_EXT)
         endif()
     endif()
 
+    else()
+        get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_INCLUDE      freeimage::FreeImage INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
+        get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_DEPENDENCIES freeimage::FreeImage INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES     )
+        
+        get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_SHARED freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_LOCATION)
+        if(NOT _FREEIMAGE_SHARED)
+            get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_SHARED freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_LOCATION_RELEASE)
+        endif()
+        if(NOT _FREEIMAGE_SHARED)
+            get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_SHARED freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_LOCATION_DEBUG)
+        endif()
+        
+        get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_TYPE freeimage::FreeImage TYPE)
+        if(${_FREEIMAGE_TYPE} STREQUAL "SHARED_LIBRARY")
+            get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_LIB freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_IMPLIB)
+            if(NOT _FREEIMAGE_LIB)
+                get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_LIB freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_IMPLIB_RELEASE)
+            endif()
+            if(NOT _FREEIMAGE_LIB)
+                get_target_property(_FREEIMAGE_LIB freeimage::FreeImage IMPORTED_IMPLIB_DEBUG)
+            endif()
+        elseif(WINDOWS)
+            set(_FREEIMAGE_LIB "${_FREEIMAGE_SHARED}")
+        endif()
+        
+        find_file(_FREEIMAGE_HEADER_FILE "FreeImage.h"
+            HINTS
+                ${_FREEIMAGE_INCLUDE}
+        )
+    endif()
+
     # error if dependencies can not be resolved
     if(NOT EXISTS ${_FREEIMAGE_INCLUDE} OR (WINDOWS AND NOT EXISTS ${_FREEIMAGE_LIB}) OR NOT EXISTS ${_FREEIMAGE_SHARED})
         message(STATUS "FREEIMAGE_DIR: ${FREEIMAGE_DIR}")
diff --git a/src/shaders/plugin/freeimage/CMakeLists.txt b/src/shaders/plugin/freeimage/CMakeLists.txt
index a28b50e..910141e 100644
--- a/src/shaders/plugin/freeimage/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/shaders/plugin/freeimage/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ add_library(mdl::nv_freeimage ALIAS ${PROJECT_NAME})
 # add dependencies other dependencies
 target_add_dependencies(TARGET ${PROJECT_NAME} 
     DEPENDS
-        freeimage
+        freeimage::FreeImage
         mdl::base-system-version
     )