diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 35a9b11fa2fe528cab3c046247b65cb937d0e1a5..e3d55cc880452c6b97d5e20b6b87dec7ba1555b9 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ if(DD4HEP_USE_HEPMC3)
   else()
     option(DD4HEP_HEPMC3_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT "Enable reading of compressed HepMC files" OFF)
     if(DD4HEP_HEPMC3_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT)
-      message(FATAL "HepMC3 v3.2.5 is required for -DDD4HEP_HEPMC3_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT=ON")
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "HepMC3 >= 3.2.5 is required for -DDD4HEP_HEPMC3_COMPRESSION_SUPPORT=ON")
     endif()
   endif()
 endif()