diff --git a/examples/COUPLE/plugin/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/COUPLE/plugin/CMakeLists.txt
index 00f86058fb..c8deb5c7c6 100644
--- a/examples/COUPLE/plugin/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/COUPLE/plugin/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ if(MSVC)
   add_compile_definitions(_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS)
 endif()
 
-find_package(MPI REQUIRED)
+find_package(MPI REQUIRED COMPONENTS C)
 # do not include the (obsolete) MPI C++ bindings which makes
 # for leaner object files and avoids namespace conflicts
 set(MPI_CXX_SKIP_MPICXX TRUE)