diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Packages/KIM.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Packages/KIM.cmake
index d9d028f6dc..31586bfbe0 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Packages/KIM.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Packages/KIM.cmake
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@ if(PKG_KIM)
       message(FATAL_ERROR "Cannot build downloaded KIM-API library with Ninja build tool")
     endif()
     message(STATUS "KIM-API download requested - we will build our own")
-    enable_language(C)
-    enable_language(Fortran)
+    include(CheckLanguage)
     include(ExternalProject)
+    enable_language(C)
+    check_language(Fortran)
+    if(NOT CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER)
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "Compiling the KIM-API library requires a Fortran compiler")
+    endif()
     ExternalProject_Add(kim_build
       URL https://s3.openkim.org/kim-api/kim-api-2.1.2.txz
       URL_MD5 6ac52e14ef52967fc7858220b208cba5