diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ffb86d4ac..1775b986f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -177,19 +177,8 @@ endif()
 
 mapnik_find_package(Freetype REQUIRED)
 
-# try to find harfbuzz with the native configuration and fallback to our "own" FindHarfBuzz
-mapnik_find_package(harfbuzz CONFIG QUIET)
-if(harfbuzz_FOUND)
-    message(STATUS "Found harfbuzz native cmake")
-    list(APPEND MAPNIK_OPTIONAL_LIBS harfbuzz::harfbuzz)
-else()
-    # Use pkg-config when harfbuzz is not found.
-    # It might be possible that in future version harfbuzz could only be found via pkg-config.
-    # harfbuzz related discussion: https://github.com/harfbuzz/harfbuzz/issues/2653
-    message(STATUS "harfbuzz not found via cmake. Searching via pkg-config...")
-    mapnik_pkg_check_modules(harfbuzz REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET harfbuzz>=${HARFBUZZ_MIN_VERSION})
-    list(APPEND MAPNIK_OPTIONAL_LIBS PkgConfig::harfbuzz)
-endif()
+pkg_check_modules(harfbuzz REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET harfbuzz)
+list(APPEND MAPNIK_OPTIONAL_LIBS PkgConfig::harfbuzz)
 
 if(USE_EXTERNAL_MAPBOX_GEOMETRY)
     # this is used to provide a way to specify include dirs with CACHE VARIABLES