diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f4ca745ed..ac05e56b2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ endif()
 # Version 1.12 of HDF5 deprecates the H5Oget_info_by_idx() interface.
 # Thus, we give these flags to allow usage of the old interface in newer
 # versions of HDF5.
-if(${HDF5_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL "1.12.0") 
+if(NOT (${HDF5_VERSION} VERSION_LESS 1.12.0))
   list(APPEND cxxflags -DH5Oget_info_by_idx_vers=1 -DH5O_info_t_vers=1)
 endif()