diff --git a/cmake/Modules/FindTBB_MALLOC.cmake b/cmake/Modules/FindTBB_MALLOC.cmake
index 64bd8c0cf3..f837932ba8 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/FindTBB_MALLOC.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/FindTBB_MALLOC.cmake
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 #  TBB_MALLOC_FOUND        - True if tbb found.
 #
 
-if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.12)
+# silence warning about ignoring <PackageName>_ROOT and use it.
+if(POLICY CMP0074)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0074 NEW)
 endif()
 ########################################################
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-H5MD.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-H5MD.cmake
index 6e8e425673..274c0914e2 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-H5MD.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-H5MD.cmake
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 enable_language(C)
 
-if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.12)
+# silence warning about ignoring <PackageName>_ROOT and use it.
+if(POLICY CMP0074)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0074 NEW)
 endif()
+
 find_package(HDF5 REQUIRED)
 target_link_libraries(h5md PRIVATE ${HDF5_LIBRARIES})
 target_include_directories(h5md PUBLIC ${HDF5_INCLUDE_DIRS})
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-NETCDF.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-NETCDF.cmake
index 1bcbcadc35..36c5a06385 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-NETCDF.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-NETCDF.cmake
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 # USER-NETCDF can use NetCDF, Parallel NetCDF (PNetCDF), or both. At least one necessary.
 # NetCDF library enables dump style "netcdf", while PNetCDF enables dump style "netcdf/mpiio"
-if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.12)
+
+# silence warning about ignoring <PackageName>_ROOT and use it.
+if(POLICY CMP0074)
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0074 NEW)
 endif()
+
+# may use NetCDF or PNetCDF with MPI, but must have NetCDF without
 if(NOT BUILD_MPI)
   find_package(NetCDF REQUIRED)
 else()