diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 9d90f9d1..62f06ac3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ build_mac:
         -DCMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT=/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX.sdk
         -DUSE_CGNS=ON
         -DUSE_OCC=ON
+        -DPython3_ROOT_DIR=/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/3.8/
     - make -j5 install
 
 test_mac:
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 76884b5a..14512beb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
     set(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE "RelWithDebInfo" CACHE STRING INTERNAL)
 endif(NOT CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE)
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.13)
-cmake_policy(VERSION 3.13)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
+cmake_policy(VERSION 3.16)
 
 if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL "3.24.0")
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0135 NEW)
@@ -85,12 +85,14 @@ endif()
 set(NG_INSTALL_SUFFIX netgen CACHE STRING "Suffix appended to install directories (project name)")
 
 if(USE_PYTHON)
-    find_package(PythonInterp 3 REQUIRED)
-    if(NOT BUILD_FOR_CONDA)
-      find_package(PythonLibs 3 REQUIRED)
-    endif()
+  if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.18)
+      find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter Development.Module)
+      find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development.Embed)
+  else()
+    find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
+  endif()
 
-    execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print(get_python_lib(1,0,''))" OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_PACKAGES_INSTALL_DIR OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+  execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print(get_python_lib(1,0,''))" OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_PACKAGES_INSTALL_DIR OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
     file(TO_CMAKE_PATH ${PYTHON_PACKAGES_INSTALL_DIR} PYTHON_PACKAGES_INSTALL_DIR)
 endif(USE_PYTHON)
 
@@ -315,11 +317,10 @@ if (USE_PYTHON)
       add_subdirectory(external_dependencies/pybind11)
     endif()
 
-    target_include_directories(netgen_python INTERFACE ${pybind11_INCLUDE_DIR} ${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    target_include_directories(nglib PRIVATE ${pybind11_INCLUDE_DIR} ${PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-    if(NOT ${BUILD_FOR_CONDA} OR WIN32)
-        # Don't link python libraries in conda environments
-        target_link_libraries(netgen_python INTERFACE ${PYTHON_LIBRARIES})
+    target_include_directories(netgen_python INTERFACE ${pybind11_INCLUDE_DIR} ${Python3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    target_include_directories(nglib PRIVATE ${pybind11_INCLUDE_DIR} ${Python3_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+    if(Python3_LIBRARIES)
+        target_link_libraries(netgen_python INTERFACE ${Python3_LIBRARIES})
     endif()
 
     if(NG_INSTALL_PYBIND)
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ if (USE_MPI)
     target_compile_definitions(netgen_metis INTERFACE METIS )
 
     if(USE_MPI4PY AND USE_PYTHON)
-      execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "import mpi4py;print(mpi4py.get_include())" OUTPUT_VARIABLE mpi4py_path OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+      execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c "import mpi4py;print(mpi4py.get_include())" OUTPUT_VARIABLE mpi4py_path OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
       find_path(MPI4PY_INCLUDE_DIR mpi4py.h HINTS ${mpi4py_path}/mpi4py NO_DEFAULT_PATH REQUIRED)
       target_include_directories(netgen_metis INTERFACE ${MPI4PY_INCLUDE_DIR})
       target_compile_definitions(netgen_metis INTERFACE NG_MPI4PY )
diff --git a/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in b/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
index ddb8850b..477ed214 100644
--- a/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/NetgenConfig.cmake.in
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ set(NETGEN_OCC_LIBRARIES_BIN "@OpenCASCADE_BINARY_DIR@")
 set(NETGEN_OCC_LIBRARIES "@OCC_LIBRARIES@")
 set(NETGEN_OCC_LIBRARY_DIR "@OpenCASCADE_LIBRARY_DIR@")
 set(NETGEN_OPENGL_LIBRARIES "@OPENGL_LIBRARIES@")
-set(NETGEN_PYTHON_EXECUTABLE "@PYTHON_EXECUTABLE@")
-set(NETGEN_PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS "@PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS@")
-set(NETGEN_PYTHON_LIBRARIES "@PYTHON_LIBRARIES@")
+set(NETGEN_PYTHON_EXECUTABLE "@Python3_EXECUTABLE@")
+set(NETGEN_PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS "@Python3_INCLUDE_DIRS@")
+set(NETGEN_PYTHON_LIBRARIES "@Python3_LIBRARIES@")
 set(NETGEN_TCL_INCLUDE_PATH "@TCL_INCLUDE_PATH@")
 set(NETGEN_TCL_LIBRARY "@TCL_STUB_LIBRARY@")
 set(NETGEN_TK_DND_LIBRARY "@TK_DND_LIBRARY@")
diff --git a/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake b/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
index 091b2477..d0b70930 100644
--- a/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
+++ b/cmake/SuperBuild.cmake
@@ -181,16 +181,18 @@ if (USE_PYTHON)
     else( PYBIND_INCLUDE_DIR )
         message(FATAL_ERROR "Could NOT find pybind11!")
     endif( PYBIND_INCLUDE_DIR )
-    find_package(PythonInterp 3 REQUIRED)
-    if(NOT BUILD_FOR_CONDA)
-      find_package(PythonLibs 3 REQUIRED)
+    if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.18)
+      find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter Development.Module)
+      find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development.Embed)
+    else()
+      find_package(Python3 REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
     endif()
 
     set_vars(NETGEN_CMAKE_ARGS
-      PYTHON_INCLUDE_DIRS
-      PYTHON_LIBRARIES
-      PYTHON_EXECUTABLE
-      PYTHON_VERSION
+      Python3_INCLUDE_DIRS
+      Python3_LIBRARIES
+      Python3_EXECUTABLE
+      Python3_VERSION
       PYBIND_INCLUDE_DIR
       NG_INSTALL_PYBIND
       )
diff --git a/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake b/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
index 8d1e1247..9542f3c0 100644
--- a/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
+++ b/cmake/external_projects/tcltk.cmake
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ else(LINUX)
 if(SKBUILD)
 # we are building a pip package - download the tcl/tk sources matching the tkinter version (for private headers not shipped with python)
 
-execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c 
+execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c
 "import tkinter;print(tkinter.Tcl().eval('info patchlevel').replace('.','-'))"
 OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_TCL_VERSION OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ set(TK_INCLUDE_PATH ${TK_DIR}/generic)
 list(APPEND NETGEN_DEPENDENCIES project_tcl project_tk)
 
 if(APPLE OR WIN32)
-    execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "import sys; print(sys.prefix)" OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_PREFIX OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c "import sys; print(sys.prefix)" OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_PREFIX OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
     file(TO_CMAKE_PATH ${PYTHON_PREFIX} PYTHON_PREFIX)
 
     set(tcl_find_args
diff --git a/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt b/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 037d29d8..e7403725 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libsrc/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ endif(ENABLE_CPP_CORE_GUIDELINES_CHECK)
 add_dependencies(ngcore ng_generate_version_file)
 
 if(USE_PYTHON)
-  pybind11_add_module(pyngcore SHARED python_ngcore_export.cpp)
+  pybind11_add_module(pyngcore MODULE python_ngcore_export.cpp)
   target_link_libraries(pyngcore PUBLIC ngcore netgen_python)
   set_target_properties(pyngcore PROPERTIES INSTALL_RPATH "${NG_RPATH_TOKEN}/../${NETGEN_PYTHON_RPATH}")
   install(TARGETS pyngcore DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_PYTHON}/pyngcore COMPONENT netgen)
diff --git a/ng/CMakeLists.txt b/ng/CMakeLists.txt
index 3ad3d8be..710a780c 100644
--- a/ng/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ng/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ if(USE_GUI)
     if(APPLE)
         set_target_properties(netgen PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME netgen)
     endif(APPLE)
-    target_link_libraries( netgen ${PYTHON_LIBRARIES} ${TCL_LIBRARY} ${TK_LIBRARY})
+    target_link_libraries( netgen ${Python3_LIBRARIES} ${TCL_LIBRARY} ${TK_LIBRARY})
     endif(NOT BUILD_FOR_CONDA)
 
     install(TARGETS nggui ${NG_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index ccab5494..792b337c 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ install(FILES
 
 # build stub files for pybind11 packages
 if(BUILD_STUB_FILES)
-execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -c "import pybind11_stubgen; print(pybind11_stubgen.__file__)" OUTPUT_VARIABLE stubgen_path RESULT_VARIABLE pybind11_stubgen)
+execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c "import pybind11_stubgen; print(pybind11_stubgen.__file__)" OUTPUT_VARIABLE stubgen_path RESULT_VARIABLE pybind11_stubgen)
 if(pybind11_stubgen AND NOT ${pybind11_stubgen} EQUAL 0)
   message(WARNING "pybind11-stubgen not found, if you want to create stub files
 for better autocompletion support install it with pip.")
 else()
   message("-- Found pybind11-stubgen: ${stubgen_path}")
-  install(CODE "execute_process(COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pybind11_stubgen --no-setup-py --ignore-invalid=all netgen)")
+  install(CODE "execute_process(COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -m pybind11_stubgen --no-setup-py --ignore-invalid=all netgen)")
   install(DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../stubs/netgen-stubs/ DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_PYTHON}/netgen/ COMPONENT netgen)
 endif()
 endif(BUILD_STUB_FILES)
diff --git a/python/config_template.py b/python/config_template.py
index 38991567..c4232dff 100644
--- a/python/config_template.py
+++ b/python/config_template.py
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ NETGEN_VERSION_TWEAK = "@NETGEN_VERSION_TWEAK@"
 NETGEN_VERSION_PATCH = "@NETGEN_VERSION_PATCH@"
 NETGEN_VERSION_HASH = "@NETGEN_VERSION_HASH@"
 
-PYTHON_VERSION       = "@PYTHON_VERSION@"
-PYTHON_VERSION_MAJOR = "@PYTHON_VERSION_MAJOR@"
-PYTHON_VERSION_MINOR = "@PYTHON_VERSION_MINOR@"
+PYTHON_VERSION       = "@Python3_VERSION@"
+PYTHON_VERSION_MAJOR = "@Python3_VERSION_MAJOR@"
+PYTHON_VERSION_MINOR = "@Python3_VERSION_MINOR@"
 
 version = NETGEN_VERSION_GIT
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index bea48af3..3d569574 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ cmake_args += [
 ]
 
 pyprefix = pathlib.Path(sys.prefix).as_posix()
-cmake_args += [f'-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={pyprefix}']
+cmake_args += [f'-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH={pyprefix}', f'-DPython3_ROOT_DIR={pyprefix}']
 
 setup(
     name=name,
diff --git a/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
index 26c7d22f..375bd420 100644
--- a/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/pytest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 if(USE_PYTHON)
-    add_test(NAME pytest COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-    add_custom_target(pytest ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+    add_test(NAME pytest COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+    add_custom_target(pytest ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
     set_tests_properties ( pytest PROPERTIES TIMEOUT 1800 )
     if(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
-      add_test(NAME pytest-mpi COMMAND ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} --allow-run-as-root -np 4 ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest --with-mpi test_mpi4py.py WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+      add_test(NAME pytest-mpi COMMAND ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} --allow-run-as-root -np 4 ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -m pytest --with-mpi test_mpi4py.py WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
     endif(USE_MPI AND USE_MPI4PY)
 endif(USE_PYTHON)