diff --git a/base.cmake b/base.cmake
index c8148059f..f53544ff7 100644
--- a/base.cmake
+++ b/base.cmake
@@ -120,7 +120,10 @@
 #
 
 if(CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.10)
-  cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
+  message(
+    FATAL_ERROR
+      "JRL-CMakemodules require CMake >= 3.10. Please update your main 'cmake_minimum_required'"
+  )
 endif()
 
 set(PROJECT_JRL_CMAKE_MODULE_DIR