diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4b010de5ab5cd8ddbd3b867b2d4e7d0ca1bece4b..f59045da2413c77062cdb1e626e68e36898a4c90 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -148,7 +148,9 @@ set(PUGS_ENABLE_PETSC AUTO CACHE STRING
   "Choose one of: AUTO ON OFF")
 
 if (PUGS_ENABLE_PETSC MATCHES "^(AUTO|ON)$")
-  cmake_policy(SET CMP0075 OLD)
+  if (${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER "3.12")
+    cmake_policy(SET CMP0075 OLD)
+  endif()
   find_package(PETSc)
   set(PUGS_HAS_PETSC ${PETSC_FOUND})
 else()