diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e60c00f0a78..37f6a1743a5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -293,6 +293,23 @@ if(WITH_STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS)
   endif()
 endif(WITH_STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS)
 
+if(WITH_STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS)
+  set(CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR
+      "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${PYTHON_INSTDIR}/espressomd")
+  cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.11)
+  include(FetchContent)
+  FetchContent_Declare(
+    stokesian_dynamics
+    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/hmenke/espresso-stokesian-dynamics.git
+    GIT_TAG 860ceac208175)
+  FetchContent_GetProperties(stokesian_dynamics)
+  if(NOT stokesian_dynamics_POPULATED)
+    FetchContent_Populate(stokesian_dynamics)
+    add_subdirectory(${stokesian_dynamics_SOURCE_DIR}
+                     ${stokesian_dynamics_BINARY_DIR})
+  endif()
+endif(WITH_STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS)
+
 if(WITH_VALGRIND_INSTRUMENTATION)
   find_package(PkgConfig)
   pkg_check_modules(VALGRIND valgrind)
diff --git a/libs/CMakeLists.txt b/libs/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b8583c44b7..2e876e3dbb3 100644
--- a/libs/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libs/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 add_library(Random123 INTERFACE)
-target_include_directories(Random123 SYSTEM INTERFACE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Random123-1.09/include)
+target_include_directories(
+  Random123 SYSTEM INTERFACE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/Random123-1.09/include)
 target_compile_definitions(Random123 INTERFACE R123_USE_MULHILO64_C99)
 
 add_library(h5xx INTERFACE)
-target_include_directories(h5xx SYSTEM INTERFACE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/h5xx)
-
-if(STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS OR STOKESIAN_DYNAMICS_GPU)
-  add_library(stokesian_dynamics INTERFACE)
-  target_include_directories(stokesian_dynamics INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/stokesian_dynamics/include>)
-  set(CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${PYTHON_INSTDIR}/espressomd")
-  add_subdirectory(stokesian_dynamics/src)
-endif()
+target_include_directories(h5xx SYSTEM
+                           INTERFACE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/h5xx)
diff --git a/src/core/stokesian_dynamics/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/stokesian_dynamics/CMakeLists.txt
index ffaaa02af88..9292f026a36 100644
--- a/src/core/stokesian_dynamics/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/stokesian_dynamics/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #
 
 target_include_directories(
-  EspressoCore PRIVATE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/libs/stokesian_dynamics/include
+  EspressoCore PRIVATE ${stokesian_dynamics_SOURCE_DIR}/include
                        ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/core/stokesian_dynamics)
 
 target_sources(EspressoCore