diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 17bd614f..62453a02 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.13)
 
+if (NOT CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+  set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
+endif()
+
+# EKAT requires C++20
+if(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD LESS 20)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "EKAT requires C++20 or greater. Current value: ${CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}")
+endif()
+
 set (EKAT_CMAKE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake CACHE INTERNAL "")
 
 # Do not ignore <PackageName_ROOT> env vars in find_package() calls
diff --git a/cacts.yaml b/cacts.yaml
index c676a4b6..99c5caed 100644
--- a/cacts.yaml
+++ b/cacts.yaml
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ configurations:
     uses_baselines: False
     on_by_default: True
     cmake_args:
-      CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD: 20
       EKAT_ENABLE_ALL_PACKAGES: True
       EKAT_TEST_THREAD_INC: ${2 if machine.gpu_arch is None else 1}
       EKAT_TEST_MAX_THREADS: ${machine.num_run_res if machine.gpu_arch is None else 1}
diff --git a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 6e969021..edd83db3 100644
--- a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -59,9 +59,6 @@ add_library(ekat_core
   ekat_test_utils.cpp
 )
 
-# EKAT requires c++17 features
-target_compile_features(ekat_core PUBLIC cxx_std_17)
-
 # Add the correct ekat::Comm impl file, depending on whether MPI is ON/OFF.
 if (EKAT_ENABLE_MPI)
   target_sources(ekat_core PRIVATE ekat_comm.cpp)