diff --git a/deps/CMakeLists.txt b/deps/CMakeLists.txt
index 25c49960..9ac49757 100644
--- a/deps/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/deps/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ include(external_dependency.cmake)
 #     to locate the package in the system.
 #     Skip this step if Build_Deps option is set.
 #  2. Try to find a directory containing the sources
-#     at ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/deps/name. If found
+#     at ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/name and
+#     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/deps/name. If found
 #     build it as a cmake sub-project.
 #  3. If GIT_REPO is provided, git clone the sources,
 #     and build them as a cmake sub-project.
diff --git a/deps/external_dependency.cmake b/deps/external_dependency.cmake
index e7cc44ea..7ba1b7ad 100644
--- a/deps/external_dependency.cmake
+++ b/deps/external_dependency.cmake
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ function(external_dependency)
   if(IS_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${ARGV0})
     message(STATUS "Found sources for dependency ${ARGV0} at ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${ARGV0}")
     add_subdirectory(${ARGV0} ${subdir_opts})
+  elseif(IS_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/deps/${ARGV0})
+    message(STATUS "Found sources for dependency ${ARGV0} at ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/deps/${ARGV0}")
+    add_subdirectory(${ARGV0} ${subdir_opts})
   elseif(ARG_GIT_REPO)
     set(bin_dir ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${ARGV0})
     set(src_dir ${bin_dir}_src)