diff --git a/cmake/dts.cmake b/cmake/dts.cmake
index 15a86f9ee49..eb7382207b0 100644
--- a/cmake/dts.cmake
+++ b/cmake/dts.cmake
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ if(SUPPORTS_DTS)
   # themselves, so we don't rely on the C compiler otherwise.
   #
 
+  if(DTC)
   set(DTC_WARN_UNIT_ADDR_IF_ENABLED "")
   check_dtc_flag("-Wunique_unit_address_if_enabled" check)
   if (check)
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ if(SUPPORTS_DTS)
   if(NOT "${ret}" STREQUAL "0")
     message(FATAL_ERROR "command failed with return code: ${ret}")
   endif()
+  endif(DTC)
 
   #
   # Run gen_defines.py to create a .conf file and a header file
diff --git a/cmake/host-tools.cmake b/cmake/host-tools.cmake
index 050bb90e2b9..6858f2f3f82 100644
--- a/cmake/host-tools.cmake
+++ b/cmake/host-tools.cmake
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ else()
   endif()
 endif()
 
-# Search for the must-have program dtc on PATH and in
+# dtc is an optional dependency. Search for it on PATH and in
 # TOOLCHAIN_HOME. Usually DTC will be provided by an SDK, but for
 # SDK-less projects like gnuarmemb, it is up to the user to install
 # dtc.
@@ -55,10 +55,8 @@ find_program(
   DTC
   dtc
   )
-if(${DTC} STREQUAL DTC-NOTFOUND)
-  message(FATAL_ERROR "Unable to find dtc")
-endif()
 
+if(DTC)
 # Parse the 'dtc --version' and make sure it is at least MIN_DTC_VERSION
 set(MIN_DTC_VERSION 1.4.6)
 execute_process(
@@ -75,6 +73,7 @@ if(${CMAKE_MATCH_1} VERSION_LESS ${MIN_DTC_VERSION})
     for how to use the SDK's dtc alongside a custom toolchain."
   )
 endif()
+endif(DTC)
 
 find_program(
   GPERF