diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 22c850e7755..5161bebe468 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -296,8 +296,8 @@ target_link_libraries(bitcoin_node
     minisketch
     univalue
     Boost::headers
-    libevent::core
-    libevent::extra
+    $<TARGET_NAME_IF_EXISTS:libevent::core>
+    $<TARGET_NAME_IF_EXISTS:libevent::extra>
     $<TARGET_NAME_IF_EXISTS:libevent::pthreads>
     $<TARGET_NAME_IF_EXISTS:USDT::headers>
 )