diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index bbb647c..34927c0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -667,6 +667,9 @@ endif()
 if (DEFINED NETCDF_WITH_PLUGIN_DIR) # Table row 3
     set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR "${NETCDF_WITH_PLUGIN_DIR}")
     set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_SEARCH_PATH "${NETCDF_WITH_PLUGIN_DIR}${PLATFORMSEP}${PLATFORMDEFAULT}")
+elseif (DEFINED CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX) # vcpkg: install, don't change search path
+    set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR "plugins/netcdf-c")
+    set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_SEARCH_PATH "${PLATFORMDEFAULT}")
 elseif (DEFINED CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX) # Table row 2
     set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/hdf5/lib/plugin")
     set(DEFAULT_PLUGIN_SEARCH_PATH "${DEFAULT_PLUGIN_INSTALL_DIR}${PLATFORMSEP}${PLATFORMDEFAULT}")