diff --git a/builtins/ftgl/0001-src-CMakeLists.txt-remove-FTLibrary.h-from-libftgl_l.patch b/builtins/ftgl/0001-fix-CMakeLists.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from builtins/ftgl/0001-src-CMakeLists.txt-remove-FTLibrary.h-from-libftgl_l.patch
rename to builtins/ftgl/0001-fix-CMakeLists.patch
diff --git a/builtins/ftgl/prevent_nullptr_access.patch b/builtins/ftgl/0003-fix-nullptr.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from builtins/ftgl/prevent_nullptr_access.patch
rename to builtins/ftgl/0003-fix-nullptr.patch
diff --git a/builtins/ftgl/CMakeLists.txt b/builtins/ftgl/CMakeLists.txt
index 4fdac05808f5f..1c06846261b84 100644
--- a/builtins/ftgl/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/builtins/ftgl/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,14 +12,14 @@ if (CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES Debug)
   set(ROOT_FTGL_POSTFIX d)
 endif()
 # Cherry-pick https://github.com/frankheckenbach/ftgl/commit/835f2ba7911a6c15a1a314d5e3267fa089b5a319 :
-set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_1 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/0001-src-CMakeLists.txt-remove-FTLibrary.h-from-libftgl_l.patch")
+set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_1 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/0001-fix-CMakeLists.patch")
 # From https://github.com/frankheckenbach/ftgl/issues/22, see also https://github.com/xmake-io/xmake-repo/pull/9040/changes and https://github.com/root-project/root/commit/a028d13255f0c2d0c84f2e1b99ccb6a112598e0c
 if(Freetype_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 2.13.3) # https://github.com/root-project/root/commit/a028d13255f0c2d0c84f2e1b99ccb6a112598e0c
   set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_2 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/0002-fix-type-error.patch")
 else()
   set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_2 "")
 endif()
-set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_3 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/prevent_nullptr_access.patch") # https://github.com/root-project/root/issues/22076#issuecomment-4335481094
+set(ROOT_FTGL_PATCH_FILE_3 "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/0003-fix-nullptr.patch") # https://github.com/root-project/root/issues/22076#issuecomment-4335481094
 set(ROOT_FTGL_PREFIX ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/builtins/FTGL-prefix)
 set(ROOT_FTGL_LIBRARY ${ROOT_FTGL_PREFIX}/lib/${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_PREFIX}ftgl${ROOT_FTGL_POSTFIX}${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX})
 
diff --git a/cmake/modules/SearchInstalledSoftware.cmake b/cmake/modules/SearchInstalledSoftware.cmake
index d4621826b211c..fb3ba29c6804a 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/SearchInstalledSoftware.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/SearchInstalledSoftware.cmake
@@ -254,6 +254,10 @@ ROOT_FIND_REQUIRED_DEP(Freetype builtin_freetype) # needed for asimage, but also
 if(builtin_freetype)
   list(APPEND ROOT_BUILTINS BUILTIN_FREETYPE)
   add_subdirectory(builtins/freetype)
+elseif(NOT Freetype_VERSION AND FREETYPE_VERSION_STRING)
+  # on mac brew installed freetype version_string is returned
+  message(STATUS "Found legacy freetype ${FREETYPE_VERSION_STRING}")
+  set(Freetype_VERSION ${FREETYPE_VERSION_STRING})
 endif()
 
 #---Check for Cocoa/Quartz graphics backend (MacOS X only)---------------------------
@@ -369,7 +373,7 @@ if(asimage)
     get_target_property(JPEG_LIBRARY_LOCATION JPEG::JPEG IMPORTED_LOCATION)
   endif()
   list(APPEND ASEXTRA_LIBRARIES JPEG::JPEG)
-  
+
   if(builtin_tiff)
     add_subdirectory(builtins/libtiff)
     get_target_property(TIFF_INCLUDE_DIR TIFF::TIFF INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)