diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_old.yml b/.github/workflows/build_old.yml
index eeaa61c3b..2c7233819 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_old.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_old.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       PNETCDF_VERSION: 1.12.1
-      NETCDF_VERSION: 4.8.1
+      NETCDF_VERSION: 4.7.4
       NETCDF_DIR: ${{ github.workspace }}/..
       NETCDF_EXTRA_CONFIG: --enable-pnetcdf
       CC: mpicc.mpich
diff --git a/external/nc_complex/src/nc_complex.c b/external/nc_complex/src/nc_complex.c
index 68decb02c..4063d4fdc 100644
--- a/external/nc_complex/src/nc_complex.c
+++ b/external/nc_complex/src/nc_complex.c
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@
 
 #include "nc_complex_version.h"
 
+// to enable compilation with older versions of netcdf-c
+#ifndef NC_FORMATX_NCZARR
+#define NC_FORMATX_NCZARR    (10)
+#endif
+
 // NOLINTBEGIN(bugprone-assignment-in-if-condition)
 #define CHECK(func)           \
     do {                      \