diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f96c727c8..11f2d6ac4 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -37,12 +37,15 @@ endif()
 
 if (MLX_BUILD_METAL AND NOT METAL_LIB)
   message(STATUS "Metal not found. Unable to build GPU")
+  set(MLX_BUILD_METAL OFF)
 elseif (MLX_BUILD_METAL)
   message(STATUS "Building METAL sources")
   add_compile_definitions(_METAL_)
 
+  # Throw an error if xcrun not found
   execute_process(COMMAND zsh "-c" "/usr/bin/xcrun -sdk macosx --show-sdk-version"
-                  OUTPUT_VARIABLE MACOS_VERSION)
+                  OUTPUT_VARIABLE MACOS_VERSION
+                  COMMAND_ERROR_IS_FATAL ANY)
 
   message(STATUS "Building with SDK for MacOS version ${MACOS_VERSION}")