diff --git a/core/CMakeLists.txt b/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 951b72d..0547ee0 100644
--- a/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ target_include_directories(${PROTOC_PLUGIN} PRIVATE ${PROTOBUF_INCLUDE_DIR})
 target_compile_features(${PROTOC_PLUGIN} PRIVATE ${GZ_CXX_11_FEATURES})
 
 if (UNIX)
-  target_link_libraries(${PROTOC_PLUGIN} pthread)
+  set(THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
+  gz_find_package(Threads REQUIRED PKGCONFIG_IGNORE)
+  if(CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT)
+    gz_string_append(PROJECT_PKGCONFIG_LIBS ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
+  endif()
+  target_link_libraries(${PROTOC_PLUGIN} Threads::Threads)
 endif()
 
 install(TARGETS ${PROTOC_PLUGIN} DESTINATION ${GZ_BIN_INSTALL_DIR})