diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Testing.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Testing.cmake
index 4862a0d38e..7aa3506642 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Testing.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Testing.cmake
@@ -21,22 +21,15 @@ if(ENABLE_TESTING)
   # also only verified with Fedora Linux > 30 and Ubuntu 18.04 or 22.04+(Ubuntu 20.04 fails)
   if((CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
       AND ((CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU") OR (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang")))
-    if(((CMAKE_LINUX_DISTRO STREQUAL "Ubuntu") AND
-          ((CMAKE_DISTRO_VERSION VERSION_LESS_EQUAL 18.04) OR (CMAKE_DISTRO_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 22.04)))
+    if(((CMAKE_LINUX_DISTRO STREQUAL "Ubuntu") AND (CMAKE_DISTRO_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 22.04))
         OR ((CMAKE_LINUX_DISTRO STREQUAL "Fedora") AND (CMAKE_DISTRO_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 30)))
       include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
       set(CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER_DEFAULT default)
-      if((CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang") AND (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 19.9))
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(--ld-path=mold HAVE_MOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(--ld-path=lld HAVE_LLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(--ld-path=gold HAVE_GOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(--ld-path=bfd HAVE_BFD_LINKER_FLAG)
-      else()
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=mold HAVE_MOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=lld HAVE_LLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=gold HAVE_GOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=bfd HAVE_BFD_LINKER_FLAG)
-      endif()
+      check_cxx_compiler_flag(--ld-path=${CMAKE_LINKER} HAVE_LD_PATH_FLAG)
+      check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=mold HAVE_MOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
+      check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=lld HAVE_LLD_LINKER_FLAG)
+      check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=gold HAVE_GOLD_LINKER_FLAG)
+      check_cxx_compiler_flag(-fuse-ld=bfd HAVE_BFD_LINKER_FLAG)
       find_program(HAVE_MOLD_LINKER_BIN ld.mold)
       find_program(HAVE_LLD_LINKER_BIN lld ld.lld)
       find_program(HAVE_GOLD_LINKER_BIN ld.gold)
@@ -55,10 +48,17 @@ if(ENABLE_TESTING)
       validate_option(CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER_VALUES)
       mark_as_advanced(CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER)
       if(NOT "${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER}" STREQUAL "default")
-        if((CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang") AND (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 19.9))
-          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC --ld-path=${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER})
-        else()
-          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC -fuse-ld=${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER})
+        target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC -fuse-ld=${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER})
+      endif()
+      if(HAVE_LD_PATH_FLAG)
+        if("${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER}" STREQUAL "mold")
+          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC --ld-path=${HAVE_MOLD_LINKER_BIN})
+        elseif("${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER}" STREQUAL "lld")
+          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC --ld-path=${HAVE_LLD_LINKER_BIN})
+        elseif("${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER}" STREQUAL "gold")
+          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC --ld-path=${HAVE_GOLD_LINKER_BIN})
+        elseif("${CMAKE_CUSTOM_LINKER}" STREQUAL "bfd")
+          target_link_options(lammps PUBLIC --ld-path=${HAVE_BFD_LINKER_BIN})
         endif()
       endif()
     endif()