diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a2a2c716e7c..e7c5696894c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -411,8 +411,11 @@ if(WITH_CORE)
     message(STATUS "Qt WebKit support DISABLED.")
   endif()
 
+  set (WITH_INTERNAL_LAZPERF FALSE CACHE BOOL "Determines whether LazPerf should be built from internal copy")
   if (WITH_EPT OR WITH_COPC)
-    find_package(LazPerf) # for decompression of point clouds
+    if (NOT WITH_INTERNAL_LAZPERF)
+      find_package(LazPerf) # for decompression of point clouds
+    endif()
     if (NOT LazPerf_FOUND)
       message(STATUS "Using embedded laz-perf")
     endif()