diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 989d8e73f..2daf88dc5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Since last release
 **Changed:**
 
 * Rely on ``python3`` in environment instead of ``python`` (#602)
+* Link against ``libxml++`` imported target in CMake instead of ``LIBXMLXX_LIBRARIES`` (#608)
 
 **Fixed:**
 
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 18a7a1ab5..eb41dd393 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ IF(NOT CYCLUS_DOC_ONLY)
 
     # Find LibXML++ and dependencies
     pkg_check_modules(LIBXMLXX IMPORTED_TARGET libxml++-4.0)
-    IF ( NOT LIBXMLXX_LIBRARIES )
+    IF ( NOT LIBXMLXX_FOUND )
        pkg_check_modules(LIBXMLXX REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET libxml++-2.6)
-    ENDIF ( NOT LIBXMLXX_LIBRARIES )
-    SET(LIBS ${LIBS} ${LIBXMLXX_LIBRARIES})
+    ENDIF ( NOT LIBXMLXX_FOUND )
+    SET(LIBS ${LIBS} PkgConfig::LIBXMLXX)
     message("-- LibXML++ Include Dir: ${LIBXMLXX_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
     message("-- LibXML++ Librarires: ${LIBXMLXX_LIBRARIES}")