diff --git a/cmake/system_check.cmake b/cmake/system_check.cmake
index 38a04b7aff..5336a2974c 100644
--- a/cmake/system_check.cmake
+++ b/cmake/system_check.cmake
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ endif()
 endif()
 
 if (NOT NO_SME)
-  file(WRITE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.c ".text \n.global sme_test\n\nsme_test:\nsmstart\nsmstop\nret\n")
-  execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -march=armv9-a+sve2+sme -c -v -o ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.o ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.c OUTPUT_QUIET ERROR_QUIET RESULT_VARIABLE NO_SME)
+  file(WRITE ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.S ".text \n.global sme_test\n\nsme_test:\nsmstart\nsmstop\nret\n")
+  execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -march=armv9-a+sve2+sme -c -v -o ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.o ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.S OUTPUT_QUIET ERROR_QUIET RESULT_VARIABLE NO_SME)
 if (NO_SME EQUAL 1)
 set (CCOMMON_OPT "${CCOMMON_OPT} -DNO_SME")
 endif()
-  file(REMOVE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.c" "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.o")
+  file(REMOVE "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.S" "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/sme.o")
 endif()
 endif()