diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-spack.yml b/.github/workflows/build-spack.yml
index 223abeb3..b63ef5c2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-spack.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-spack.yml
@@ -26,4 +26,4 @@ jobs:
           cp -r spack/repo/packages/py-pyprecice/ /py-pyprecice-repo/packages/
       - name: Try to build py-pyprecice with spack and test it
         run: |
-          . /opt/spack/share/spack/setup-env.sh && spack env activate ci && spack arch && spack find && spack dev-build pyprecice.test.py-pyprecice@develop target=x86_64 && spack load precice py-numpy py-mpi4py py-cython openssh openmpi && export PYTHONPATH=${PWD}/build/$(ls build | grep lib.):${PYTHONPATH} && mkdir runner && cd runner && BINDINGS_VERSION=$(python3 -c "import precice; print(precice.__version__)") && echo "Installed version of bindings is ${BINDINGS_VERSION}"
+          . /opt/spack/share/spack/setup-env.sh && spack env activate ci && spack arch && spack find && spack load precice && spack dev-build pyprecice.test.py-pyprecice@develop target=x86_64 && spack load precice py-numpy py-mpi4py py-cython openssh openmpi && export PYTHONPATH=${PWD}/build/$(ls build | grep lib.):${PYTHONPATH} && mkdir runner && cd runner && BINDINGS_VERSION=$(python3 -c "import precice; print(precice.__version__)") && echo "Installed version of bindings is ${BINDINGS_VERSION}"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa770c0d..090b034a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ Please refer to [the preCICE documentation](https://www.precice.org/installation
 
 **MPI**: `mpi4py` requires MPI to be installed on your system.
 
+**pkg-config**: `pkg-config` is used to determine dependencies.
+
 # Installing the package
 
 We recommend using pip3 (version 19.0.0 or newer required) for the sake of simplicity. You can check your pip3 version via `pip3 --version`. To update pip3, use the following line:
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b6efc9ff..c93989fd 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@
                 "your pip installation via 'pip3 install --upgrade pip'. You might have to add the --user"
                 " flag.".format(pip.__version__))
 
+# check for pkg-config and whether it can find preCICE
+out = os.system('pkg-config libprecice')
+if out == 256:  # error code, if lib is not found by pkg-config
+    raise Exception("pkg-config is not able to find libprecice. Is preCICE installed correctly?.")
+elif out == 32512:  # error code, if pkg-config is not found
+    raise Exception("pkg-config is not found. Please install pkg-config.")
+
 from setuptools import setup
 from setuptools import Command
 from setuptools.command.test import test
@@ -65,12 +72,14 @@ def get_extensions(is_test):
     link_args = []
     compile_args.append("-std=c++11")
     compile_args.append("-I{}".format(numpy.get_include()))
+    compile_args.append(os.popen("pkg-config --cflags libprecice").read())
+    print(compile_args)
 
     bindings_sources = [os.path.join(PYTHON_BINDINGS_PATH, "cyprecice",
                                      "cyprecice" + ".pyx")]
 
     if not is_test:
-        link_args.append("-lprecice")
+        link_args.append(os.popen("pkg-config --libs libprecice").read())
     if is_test:
         bindings_sources.append(os.path.join(PYTHON_BINDINGS_PATH, "test",
                                              "SolverInterface.cpp"))
diff --git a/spack/repo/packages/py-pyprecice/package.py b/spack/repo/packages/py-pyprecice/package.py
index 96825b07..290fb647 100644
--- a/spack/repo/packages/py-pyprecice/package.py
+++ b/spack/repo/packages/py-pyprecice/package.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class PyPyprecice(PythonPackage):
     depends_on("py-cython@0.29:", type="build")
     depends_on("py-packaging", when="@:2.1", type="build")
     depends_on("py-pip", when="@:2.1", type="build")
+    depends_on("pkgconfig", when="@2.3.0.2:", type="build")
 
     @when("@:2.1")
     def patch(self):