diff --git a/arch/sim/src/Makefile b/arch/sim/src/Makefile
index 9cef07a2ae2..0bbc10eb1dd 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/Makefile
+++ b/arch/sim/src/Makefile
@@ -190,7 +190,13 @@ endif
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_SIM_X11FB),y)
   HOSTSRCS += sim_x11framebuffer.c
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_HOST_MACOS),y)
-  STDLIBS += -L/opt/X11/lib
+  ifneq ($(wildcard /opt/X11/include/X11/Xlib.h),)
+    HOSTCFLAGS += -I/opt/X11/include
+    STDLIBS += -L/opt/X11/lib
+  else ifneq ($(wildcard /usr/X11/include/X11/Xlib.h),)
+    HOSTCFLAGS += -I/usr/X11/include
+    STDLIBS += -L/usr/X11/lib
+  endif
 endif
   STDLIBS += -lX11 -lXext
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_SIM_TOUCHSCREEN),y)
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/CMakeLists.txt b/arch/sim/src/sim/CMakeLists.txt
index b9f4c637e22..a47cc98d5aa 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -190,10 +190,20 @@ endif()
 if(CONFIG_SIM_X11FB)
   list(APPEND HOSTSRCS sim_x11framebuffer.c)
   if(APPLE)
-    find_package(X11 REQUIRED)
+    find_package(X11)
+
     if(X11_FOUND)
       target_include_directories(nuttx PRIVATE ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR})
       target_link_libraries(nuttx PRIVATE ${X11_LIBRARIES})
+    else()
+      foreach(x11_prefix /opt/X11 /usr/X11)
+        if(EXISTS ${x11_prefix}/include/X11/Xlib.h)
+          target_include_directories(nuttx PRIVATE ${x11_prefix}/include)
+          target_link_directories(nuttx PRIVATE ${x11_prefix}/lib)
+          target_link_libraries(nuttx PRIVATE X11 Xext)
+          break()
+        endif()
+      endforeach()
     endif()
   else()
     list(APPEND STDLIBS X11 Xext)