diff --git a/DDG4/CMakeLists.txt b/DDG4/CMakeLists.txt
index 0f77486effb74c16f5729e4f4cf92c9aaa9b084c..7ea2d03518a3290ddc17605c8b4121634b340700 100644
--- a/DDG4/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/DDG4/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ new_dd4hep_add_plugin(DDG4Plugins
   )
 #---------------------------  Plugin library for the simulation framework  ---------
 
-FIND_PACKAGE(PythonLibs 2)
+
+find_package(PythonInterp 2 REQUIRED)
+find_package(PythonLibs 2)
 if(PYTHONLIBS_FOUND)
   MESSAGE(STATUS "Python found, creating DDG4Python Dictionary")
   new_dd4hep_add_dictionary(G__DDG4Python