diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7640010eb7..cd9a9ee25f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ unset(isSystemDir)
 # C++ standard
 if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
   set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED TRUE)
 endif()
 
 # Add compiler flags for warnings and (more importantly) fPIC and debug symbols