diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 0ee0ef3772..ac28e58f3e 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -553,11 +553,15 @@ if(BUILD_TOOLS)
   install(TARGETS binary2txt DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
 
   include(CheckGeneratorSupport)
-  enable_language(Fortran)
-  if(CMAKE_GENERATOR_SUPPORT_FORTRAN AND CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER)
-    add_executable(chain.x ${LAMMPS_TOOLS_DIR}/chain.f)
-    target_link_libraries(chain.x PRIVATE ${CMAKE_Fortran_IMPLICIT_LINK_LIBRARIES})
-    install(TARGETS chain.x DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
+  if(CMAKE_GENERATOR_SUPPORT_FORTRAN)
+    enable_language(Fortran)
+    if(CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER)
+      add_executable(chain.x ${LAMMPS_TOOLS_DIR}/chain.f)
+      target_link_libraries(chain.x PRIVATE ${CMAKE_Fortran_IMPLICIT_LINK_LIBRARIES})
+      install(TARGETS chain.x DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
+    else()
+      message(WARNING "No suitable Fortran compiler found, skipping building 'chain.x'")
+    endif()
   else()
     message(WARNING "CMake build doesn't support fortran, skipping building 'chain.x'")
   endif()