diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5b5edc3..d6ad14b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ include(GNUInstallDirs)
 include(UseLibCXX)
 
 find_package(nlohmann_json "3.6.1" REQUIRED)
+find_package(fmt "8.1.1"
+  HINTS "${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_FMT}")
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED COMPONENTS Crypto SSL)
 
@@ -56,15 +58,14 @@ target_compile_definitions(${PLUGIN} PRIVATE ${IRODS_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}
 
 target_include_directories(${PLUGIN} PRIVATE ${IRODS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
                                              ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_BOOST}/include
-                                             ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_FMT}/include
                                              ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_SPDLOG}/include)
 
 target_link_libraries(${PLUGIN} PRIVATE irods_server
                                         irods_common
                                         nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json
+                                        fmt::fmt
                                         ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_BOOST}/lib/libboost_filesystem.so
                                         ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_BOOST}/lib/libboost_system.so
-                                        ${IRODS_EXTERNALS_FULLPATH_FMT}/lib/libfmt.so
                                         ${CMAKE_DL_LIBS})
 
 install(TARGETS ${PLUGIN} LIBRARY DESTINATION ${IRODS_PLUGINS_DIRECTORY}/rule_engines)