diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a0b68b67..f0182aae 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ project(k4FWCore)
 
 find_package(ROOT COMPONENTS RIO Tree REQUIRED)
 find_package(Gaudi REQUIRED)
-find_package(podio REQUIRED)
+  find_package(podio 0.16.3)  # this will not find 1.0 and newer
+  if(NOT podio_FOUND)
+    # we try to find a newer version now
+    find_package(podio 1.0 REQUIRED)
+  endif()
 find_package(EDM4HEP REQUIRED)
 
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
diff --git a/k4FWCore/CMakeLists.txt b/k4FWCore/CMakeLists.txt
index 6a33b8f6..84b6051e 100644
--- a/k4FWCore/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/k4FWCore/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 # Package: k4FWCore
 ################################################################################
 
-find_package(podio 0.16.3 REQUIRED)
+find_package(podio REQUIRED)
 find_package(EDM4HEP)
 
 gaudi_install(SCRIPTS)