--- a/cmake/defaults/Packages.cmake
+++ b/cmake/defaults/Packages.cmake
@@ -302,8 +302,11 @@
     find_package(Alembic REQUIRED)
     set(REQUIRES_Imath TRUE)
     if (PXR_ENABLE_HDF5_SUPPORT)
+        # Only the C library is used, so don't let FindHDF5 also require
+        # the C++ bindings because CXX is an enabled language.
         find_package(HDF5 REQUIRED
             COMPONENTS
+                C
                 HL
             REQUIRED
         )