diff --git a/modules/nanopb/nanopb.cmake b/modules/nanopb/nanopb.cmake
index ddcdb5f61d195c..d42e67e673bc5f 100644
--- a/modules/nanopb/nanopb.cmake
+++ b/modules/nanopb/nanopb.cmake
@@ -6,10 +6,13 @@ include_guard(GLOBAL)
 
 list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${ZEPHYR_NANOPB_MODULE_DIR}/extra)
 
-find_program(PROTOC protoc)
-if(NOT PROTOC)
+find_package(Nanopb REQUIRED)
+
+if(NOT PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE)
   message(FATAL_ERROR "'protoc' not found, please ensure protoc is installed\
 and in path. See https://docs.zephyrproject.org/latest/samples/modules/nanopb/README.html")
+else()
+  message(STATUS "Found protoc: ${PROTOBUF_PROTOC_EXECUTABLE}")
 endif()
 
 find_package(Nanopb REQUIRED)