diff --git a/cmake/externals/qxmpp/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/qxmpp/CMakeLists.txt
index d5ccd0c020..0273344b30 100644
--- a/cmake/externals/qxmpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/externals/qxmpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,9 +12,12 @@ if (ANDROID)
 endif ()
 
 if (WIN32)
-  find_program(PLATFORM_BUILD_COMMAND NAME nmake)
+  find_program(PLATFORM_BUILD_COMMAND nmake)
+  if (NOT PLATFORM_BUILD_COMMAND)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "You asked us to grap QXmpp and build it, but nmake was not found. Please make sure the folder containing nmake.exe is in your PATH.")
+  endif ()
 else ()
-  find_program(PLATFORM_BUILD_COMMAND NAME make)
+  find_program(PLATFORM_BUILD_COMMAND make)
 endif ()
 
 include(ExternalProject)