diff --git a/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt b/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
index f61a9c61ab..2bad9ca715 100644
--- a/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unittest/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.12)
     set(Python_EXECUTABLE ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE})
   endif()
 else()
-  find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
+  find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
 endif()
 
 add_executable(test_python_package test_python_package.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(test_python_package PRIVATE lammps GTest::GMock)
 target_compile_definitions(test_python_package PRIVATE -DTEST_INPUT_FOLDER=${TEST_INPUT_FOLDER})
 # this requires CMake 3.12. don't care to add backward compatibility for this.
-if(Python3_Development_FOUND)
+if(Python_Development_FOUND)
   target_compile_definitions(test_python_package PRIVATE -DTEST_HAVE_PYTHON_DEVELOPMENT=1)
-  target_link_libraries(test_python_package PRIVATE Python3::Python)
+  target_link_libraries(test_python_package PRIVATE Python::Python)
 endif()
 add_test(NAME PythonPackage COMMAND test_python_package WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
 set_tests_properties(PythonPackage PROPERTIES ENVIRONMENT "LAMMPS_POTENTIALS=${LAMMPS_POTENTIALS_DIR};PYTHONPATH=${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}:${LAMMPS_PYTHON_DIR}:$ENV{PYTHONPATH};PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1")