diff --git a/cmake/nlohmann-json.cmake b/cmake/nlohmann-json.cmake
index 84f107b97c..d56a6cbb6d 100644
--- a/cmake/nlohmann-json.cmake
+++ b/cmake/nlohmann-json.cmake
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ find_package(nlohmann_json QUIET)
 set(nlohmann_json_clone FALSE)
 if(nlohmann_json_FOUND)
   message(STATUS "nlohmann::json dependency satisfied by: package")
+elseif(TARGET nlohmann_json)
+  message(STATUS "nlohmann::json is already added as a CMake target!")
 elseif(EXISTS ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git
        AND EXISTS
            ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/third_party/nlohmann-json/CMakeLists.txt)