diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4ef26f77da59eafc797cbe11f2664c7ea6819edf..47bfd5431cc43b87a279e8cbd0c756546caf19ae 100755
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 project(libdap-server C)
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0)
 
-if(NOT (${SUBMODULES_NO_BUILD} MATCHES ON))
+if(NOT SUBMODULES_NO_BUILD)
     if ( NOT ( TARGET dap_core ) )
   add_subdirectory(libdap)
     endif()