diff --git a/src/xtc/runtimes/host/runtime.py b/src/xtc/runtimes/host/runtime.py
index 17cf41db..87941346 100644
--- a/src/xtc/runtimes/host/runtime.py
+++ b/src/xtc/runtimes/host/runtime.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2024-2026 The XTC Project Authors
 #
 import ctypes
-import ctypes.util
 import tempfile
 import subprocess
 import threading
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@
 from typing import Any
 from enum import Enum
 
-from xtc.utils.tools import get_mlir_prefix, get_cuda_prefix
+from xtc.utils.tools import get_mlir_prefix, get_cuda_prefix, check_compile
 
 __all__ = ["runtime_funcs", "resolve_runtime", "RuntimeType"]
 
@@ -147,7 +146,9 @@ def from_param(obj: str | bytes):
 
 
 def _compile_runtime(out_dll: str, tdir: str, runtime_type: RuntimeType):
-    has_pfm = ctypes.util.find_library("pfm") is not None
+    has_pfm = check_compile(
+        "#include <perfmon/pfmlib.h>\nint main() { return 0; }\n", libs="pfm"
+    )
     pfm_opts = "-DHAS_PFM=1" if has_pfm else ""
     pfm_libs = "-lpfm" if has_pfm else ""
     has_gpu = runtime_type == RuntimeType.GPU
diff --git a/src/xtc/utils/tools.py b/src/xtc/utils/tools.py
index 3370d9ba..5356dd8c 100644
--- a/src/xtc/utils/tools.py
+++ b/src/xtc/utils/tools.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 import os
 import shutil
 from pathlib import Path
+import subprocess
+import tempfile
 
 
 def get_mlir_prefix(prefix: Path | str | None = None):
@@ -102,3 +104,28 @@ def get_cuda_prefix(prefix: Path | str | None = None):
     if not prefix.exists():
         raise RuntimeError(f"could not find CUDA installation dir at: {prefix}")
     return prefix
+
+
+def check_compile(code: str, libs: str | list[str] | None = None):
+    """
+    Attempt to compile (and link) a small C program.
+    """
+    compiler = shutil.which("cc") or shutil.which("gcc")
+    if compiler is None:
+        return False
+
+    if isinstance(libs, str):
+        libs = [libs]
+    libs = libs or []
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        src_path = os.path.join(tmpdir, "test.c")
+        exe_path = os.path.join(tmpdir, "test")
+
+        with open(src_path, "w") as f:
+            f.write(code)
+
+        cmd = [compiler, src_path, "-o", exe_path] + [f"-l{lib}" for lib in libs]
+
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
+        return result.returncode == 0