diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c83a28b0859..27b25422c12 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -799,35 +799,37 @@ endif ()
 
 # Determine if a threading package is available on this system
 option (HDF5_ENABLE_THREADS "Enable thread support" ON)
-set (THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
-find_package (Threads)
-if (Threads_FOUND)
-  set (H5_HAVE_THREADS 1)
-  set (CMAKE_REQUIRED_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
-
-  # Determine which threading package to use
-  # Comment out check for C11 threads for now, since it conflicts with the
-  # current --std=c99 compile flags at configuration time.  When we switch to
-  # --std=c11, this can be uncommented.
-  #CHECK_INCLUDE_FILE("threads.h" HAVE_THREADS_H)
-  if (WIN32)
-    # When Win32 is available, we use those threads
-    set (H5_HAVE_WIN_THREADS 1)
-  elseif (HAVE_THREADS_H)
-    # When C11 threads are available, those are the top choice
-    set (H5_HAVE_C11_THREADS 1)
-  elseif (CMAKE_USE_PTHREADS_INIT)
-    set (H5_HAVE_PTHREAD_H 1)
-  else ()
-    message (FATAL_ERROR " **** thread support requires C11 threads, Win32 threads or Pthreads **** ")
-  endif ()
+if (HDF5_ENABLE_THREADS)
+  set (THREADS_PREFER_PTHREAD_FLAG ON)
+  find_package (Threads)
+  if (Threads_FOUND)
+    set (H5_HAVE_THREADS 1)
+    set (CMAKE_REQUIRED_LIBRARIES ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
+
+    # Determine which threading package to use
+    # Comment out check for C11 threads for now, since it conflicts with the
+    # current --std=c99 compile flags at configuration time.  When we switch to
+    # --std=c11, this can be uncommented.
+    #CHECK_INCLUDE_FILE("threads.h" HAVE_THREADS_H)
+    if (WIN32)
+      # When Win32 is available, we use those threads
+      set (H5_HAVE_WIN_THREADS 1)
+    elseif (HAVE_THREADS_H)
+      # When C11 threads are available, those are the top choice
+      set (H5_HAVE_C11_THREADS 1)
+    elseif (CMAKE_USE_PTHREADS_INIT)
+      set (H5_HAVE_PTHREAD_H 1)
+    else ()
+      message (FATAL_ERROR " **** thread support requires C11 threads, Win32 threads or Pthreads **** ")
+    endif ()
 
-  # Check for compiler support for atomic variables
-  CHECK_INCLUDE_FILE("stdatomic.h" HAVE_STDATOMIC_H)
-  if (HAVE_STDATOMIC_H)
-    set (H5_HAVE_STDATOMIC_H 1)
-  endif()
-endif ()
+    # Check for compiler support for atomic variables
+    CHECK_INCLUDE_FILE("stdatomic.h" HAVE_STDATOMIC_H)
+    if (HAVE_STDATOMIC_H)
+      set (H5_HAVE_STDATOMIC_H 1)
+    endif()
+  endif ()
+endif()
 
 # Determine whether to build the HDF5 Subfiling VFD
 set (H5FD_SUBFILING_DIR ${HDF5_SRC_DIR}/H5FDsubfiling)