diff --git a/cmake/YarpIDL.cmake b/cmake/YarpIDL.cmake
index 76450f090c3..1bc200e0dc6 100644
--- a/cmake/YarpIDL.cmake
+++ b/cmake/YarpIDL.cmake
@@ -565,8 +565,18 @@ function(YARP_ADD_IDL var)
       message(FATAL_ERROR "Unknown extension ${ext}. Supported extensions are .thrift, .msg, and .srv")
     endif()
 
-    # FIXME This should handle cross-compiling
-    set(YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND YARP::yarpidl_${family})
+    if (CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
+      find_program(YARPIDL_${family}_LOCATION
+        NAMES yarpidl_${family}
+        HINTS ${YARP_IDL_BINARY_HINT} # This is a list of directories defined
+                                      # in YarpOptions.cmake (for YARP) or in
+                                      # YARPConfig.cmake for dependencies
+        NO_DEFAULT_PATH
+      )
+      set(YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND ${YARPIDL_${family}_LOCATION})
+    else()
+      set(YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND YARP::yarpidl_${family})
+    endif()
 
     # Set output directories and remove extra "/" and ensure that the directory
     # exists.
@@ -603,7 +613,9 @@ function(YARP_ADD_IDL var)
     endforeach()
 
     if(NOT "${output}" STREQUAL "")
-      set(depends ${YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND})
+      if(TARGET ${YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND})
+        set(depends ${YARPIDL_${family}_COMMAND})
+      endif()
       if(NOT native)
         list(APPEND depends ${file})
       endif()