diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 481ddc0..bb147a0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ target_sources(cargoxx
         src/exec/subprocess.cpp
         src/resolver/nixpkgs_probe.cpp
         src/resolver/nix_cmake_scan.cpp
+        src/resolver/pc_scan.cpp
         src/resolver/conan_probe.cpp
         src/resolver/vcpkg_probe.cpp
         src/resolver/verify_link.cpp
diff --git a/src/codegen/cmake.cpp b/src/codegen/cmake.cpp
index b5ff00a..a353a62 100644
--- a/src/codegen/cmake.cpp
+++ b/src/codegen/cmake.cpp
@@ -86,11 +86,33 @@ auto emit_find_packages(const std::vector<linkdb::Recipe>& recipes,
         return {};
     }
     std::string out = "\n# ----- dependencies -----\n";
+
+    bool pkgconfig_emitted = false;
+    auto emit_one = [&](const linkdb::Recipe& r) {
+        if (r.pkg_config_module && !r.pkg_config_module->empty()) {
+            if (!pkgconfig_emitted) {
+                out += "find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)\n";
+                pkgconfig_emitted = true;
+            }
+            std::string upper;
+            upper.reserve(r.pkg_config_module->size());
+            for (char c : *r.pkg_config_module) {
+                upper += std::isalnum(static_cast<unsigned char>(c))
+                             ? static_cast<char>(std::toupper(
+                                   static_cast<unsigned char>(c)))
+                             : '_';
+            }
+            out += std::format("pkg_check_modules({} REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET {})\n",
+                                upper, *r.pkg_config_module);
+        } else {
+            out += std::format("find_package({})\n", r.find_package);
+        }
+    };
     for (const auto& r : recipes) {
-        out += std::format("find_package({})\n", r.find_package);
+        emit_one(r);
     }
     for (const auto& r : dev_recipes) {
-        out += std::format("find_package({})\n", r.find_package);
+        emit_one(r);
     }
     return out;
 }
diff --git a/src/codegen/flake.cpp b/src/codegen/flake.cpp
index 30d7e38..09ecd73 100644
--- a/src/codegen/flake.cpp
+++ b/src/codegen/flake.cpp
@@ -167,6 +167,18 @@ auto flake_nix(const GenerateInputs& in) -> std::string {
 
     out += emit_inputs_block(pinned);
 
+    const bool any_pkg_config =
+        std::ranges::any_of(in.recipes,
+                             [](const linkdb::Recipe& r) {
+                                 return r.pkg_config_module &&
+                                        !r.pkg_config_module->empty();
+                             }) ||
+        std::ranges::any_of(in.dev_recipes,
+                             [](const linkdb::Recipe& r) {
+                                 return r.pkg_config_module &&
+                                        !r.pkg_config_module->empty();
+                             });
+
     out += "\n";
     out += "  outputs = ";
     out += emit_outputs_params(pinned);
@@ -181,8 +193,11 @@ auto flake_nix(const GenerateInputs& in) -> std::string {
            "          version = \"1.0\";\n"
            "          nativeBuildInputs = [\n"
            "            pkgs.ninja\n"
-           "            pkgs.cmake\n"
-           "          ];\n"
+           "            pkgs.cmake\n";
+    if (any_pkg_config) {
+        out += "            pkgs.pkg-config\n";
+    }
+    out += "          ];\n"
            "          buildInputs = [\n";
     out += emit_build_inputs(bindings);
     out += "          ];\n"
diff --git a/src/linkdb/database.cpp b/src/linkdb/database.cpp
index 15c72c8..38e8e65 100644
--- a/src/linkdb/database.cpp
+++ b/src/linkdb/database.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ auto Database::resolve(const std::string& package, const std::string& version,
             .find_package = row.find_package,
             .targets = row.targets,
             .source = row.source,
+            .pkg_config_module = row.pkg_config_module,
         };
     }
     return std::unexpected(util::Error{
diff --git a/src/linkdb/linkdb.cppm b/src/linkdb/linkdb.cppm
index 5796fc0..3d5f185 100644
--- a/src/linkdb/linkdb.cppm
+++ b/src/linkdb/linkdb.cppm
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ struct Recipe {
     std::vector<std::string> targets; // post-substitution
     std::string source; // 'curated' | 'manual' | etc.
 
+    // When set, the dep is consumed via PkgConfig instead of a normal
+    // find_package. Codegen emits
+    //   find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)
+    //   pkg_check_modules(<UPPER> REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET <pkg_config_module>)
+    // and the recipe's `targets` list holds the synthesized
+    // PkgConfig::<UPPER> entries. `find_package` for these recipes is
+    // the literal string "PkgConfig REQUIRED" — kept consistent so
+    // overlay rows don't need a sentinel.
+    std::optional<std::string> pkg_config_module;
+
     bool operator==(const Recipe&) const = default;
 };
 
@@ -29,6 +39,7 @@ struct OverlayRow {
     std::vector<std::string> targets;
     std::string source;
     std::int64_t verified_at = 0;
+    std::optional<std::string> pkg_config_module;
 };
 
 // RAII wrapper for an open sqlite3 connection used by the overlay database.
diff --git a/src/linkdb/overlay.cpp b/src/linkdb/overlay.cpp
index 36a5e3f..0f3482b 100644
--- a/src/linkdb/overlay.cpp
+++ b/src/linkdb/overlay.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,26 @@ auto overlay_open(const std::filesystem::path& path)
         });
     }
 
+    // Schema migration: legacy overlays predate pkg_config_module.
+    // SQLite ADD COLUMN errors when the column already exists; treat
+    // "duplicate column" as success.
+    constexpr const char* MIGRATE_PC =
+        "ALTER TABLE recipes ADD COLUMN pkg_config_module TEXT";
+    char* mig_err = nullptr;
+    if (sqlite3_exec(state->handle(), MIGRATE_PC, nullptr, nullptr, &mig_err) !=
+        SQLITE_OK) {
+        if (mig_err && std::string_view{mig_err}.find("duplicate column") ==
+                           std::string_view::npos) {
+            std::string msg = std::format("cannot migrate overlay schema: {}",
+                                          mig_err ? mig_err : "?");
+            sqlite3_free(mig_err);
+            return std::unexpected(util::Error{
+                util::ErrorCode::LinkdbCorrupt, std::move(msg), "", path, std::nullopt,
+            });
+        }
+        sqlite3_free(mig_err);
+    }
+
     return state;
 }
 
@@ -99,8 +119,8 @@ auto overlay_insert_manual(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package,
     constexpr const char* SQL =
         "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO recipes "
         "(package, version_range, nixpkgs_attr, find_package, targets, components, source, "
-        " verified_at) "
-        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, NULL, 'manual', ?)";
+        " verified_at, pkg_config_module) "
+        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, NULL, 'manual', ?, ?)";
 
     sqlite3* db = state.handle();
     sqlite3_stmt* stmt = nullptr;
@@ -119,6 +139,11 @@ auto overlay_insert_manual(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package,
     sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 4, r.find_package.c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
     sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 5, targets_str.c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
     sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 6, now);
+    if (r.pkg_config_module) {
+        sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 7, r.pkg_config_module->c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
+    } else {
+        sqlite3_bind_null(stmt, 7);
+    }
 
     auto rc = sqlite3_step(stmt);
     sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
@@ -137,8 +162,8 @@ auto overlay_insert(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package,
     constexpr const char* SQL =
         "INSERT OR REPLACE INTO recipes "
         "(package, version_range, nixpkgs_attr, find_package, targets, components, source, "
-        " verified_at) "
-        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, NULL, ?, ?)";
+        " verified_at, pkg_config_module) "
+        "VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, NULL, ?, ?, ?)";
 
     sqlite3* db = state.handle();
     sqlite3_stmt* stmt = nullptr;
@@ -155,6 +180,11 @@ auto overlay_insert(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package,
     sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 5, targets_str.c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
     sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 6, source.c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
     sqlite3_bind_int64(stmt, 7, verified_at);
+    if (r.pkg_config_module) {
+        sqlite3_bind_text(stmt, 8, r.pkg_config_module->c_str(), -1, SQLITE_TRANSIENT);
+    } else {
+        sqlite3_bind_null(stmt, 8);
+    }
 
     auto rc = sqlite3_step(stmt);
     sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
@@ -245,7 +275,8 @@ auto overlay_evict_auto(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package)
 auto overlay_query(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package)
     -> util::Result<std::vector<OverlayRow>> {
     constexpr const char* SQL =
-        "SELECT version_range, nixpkgs_attr, find_package, targets, source, verified_at "
+        "SELECT version_range, nixpkgs_attr, find_package, targets, source, verified_at, "
+        "       pkg_config_module "
         "FROM recipes WHERE package = ?";
 
     sqlite3* db = state.handle();
@@ -276,6 +307,9 @@ auto overlay_query(OverlayState& state, const std::string& package)
         }
         row.source = column_text(stmt, 4);
         row.verified_at = sqlite3_column_int64(stmt, 5);
+        if (sqlite3_column_type(stmt, 6) != SQLITE_NULL) {
+            row.pkg_config_module = column_text(stmt, 6);
+        }
         out.push_back(std::move(row));
     }
     sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
diff --git a/src/resolver/discover.cpp b/src/resolver/discover.cpp
index 2a4279d..a630bd8 100644
--- a/src/resolver/discover.cpp
+++ b/src/resolver/discover.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,36 @@ auto recipe_from_nix_scan(const NixCmakeCandidate& n,
     };
 }
 
+// PkgConfig-shaped recipe. The synthesized `PkgConfig::<NAME>` target
+// name must match what CMake's `pkg_check_modules(... IMPORTED_TARGET
+// <module>)` produces: the third arg of pkg_check_modules becomes the
+// prefix variable AND the imported-target suffix. We pass the
+// uppercased module stem so the target is `PkgConfig::<UPPER>`.
+auto upper_pc_name(std::string_view module_name) -> std::string {
+    std::string out;
+    out.reserve(module_name.size());
+    for (char c : module_name) {
+        if (std::isalnum(static_cast<unsigned char>(c))) {
+            out += static_cast<char>(std::toupper(static_cast<unsigned char>(c)));
+        } else {
+            out += '_';
+        }
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+
+auto recipe_from_pc(const PcCandidate& p, const std::string& nixpkgs_attr,
+                    const std::string& source) -> linkdb::Recipe {
+    auto upper = upper_pc_name(p.pc_module);
+    return linkdb::Recipe{
+        .nixpkgs_attr = nixpkgs_attr,
+        .find_package = "PkgConfig REQUIRED",
+        .targets = {std::format("PkgConfig::{}", upper)},
+        .source = source,
+        .pkg_config_module = p.pc_module,
+    };
+}
+
 struct Candidate {
     std::string source;
     linkdb::Recipe recipe;
@@ -109,16 +139,35 @@ auto discover(const std::string& name, const std::string& version_spec,
         return std::nullopt;
     };
     std::optional<NixCmakeCandidate> scan_hit;
+    std::optional<PcCandidate> pc_hit;
+    std::string realized_dev_path;
     if (!info->dev_path.empty()) {
         scan_hit = realize_and_scan("dev");
+        if (auto realized = realize_path(std::format("{}.dev", name)); realized) {
+            realized_dev_path = *realized;
+        }
     }
     if (!scan_hit) {
         scan_hit = realize_and_scan("");
     }
+    if (realized_dev_path.empty()) {
+        if (auto realized = realize_path(name); realized) {
+            realized_dev_path = *realized;
+        }
+    }
     if (scan_hit) {
         candidates.push_back(
             {"nix-probe", recipe_from_nix_scan(*scan_hit, name, "nix-probe")});
     }
+    if (!realized_dev_path.empty()) {
+        if (auto p = pc_scan(fs::path{realized_dev_path}, name); p) {
+            pc_hit = std::move(*p);
+        }
+    }
+    if (pc_hit) {
+        candidates.push_back(
+            {"pkg-config", recipe_from_pc(*pc_hit, name, "pkg-config")});
+    }
 
     if (candidates.empty()) {
         return std::unexpected(error(
diff --git a/src/resolver/pc_scan.cpp b/src/resolver/pc_scan.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a798866
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/resolver/pc_scan.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+module cargoxx.resolver;
+
+import std;
+import cargoxx.util;
+
+namespace cargoxx::resolver {
+
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+
+namespace {
+
+// Mirrors `normalize` in nix_cmake_scan.cpp. Kept local rather than
+// extracted so each scanner is self-contained; a future Phase A
+// refactor will hoist this into a shared module.
+auto normalize(std::string_view s) -> std::string {
+    std::string out;
+    out.reserve(s.size());
+    for (char c : s) {
+        out += static_cast<char>(std::tolower(static_cast<unsigned char>(c)));
+    }
+    if (out.size() > 3 && out.starts_with("lib")) {
+        out.erase(0, 3);
+    }
+    auto is_vchar = [](char c) {
+        return std::isdigit(static_cast<unsigned char>(c)) || c == '.'
+               || c == '-' || c == '_';
+    };
+    std::size_t end = out.size();
+    while (end > 0 && is_vchar(out[end - 1])) {
+        --end;
+    }
+    bool has_digit = false;
+    for (auto i = end; i < out.size(); ++i) {
+        if (std::isdigit(static_cast<unsigned char>(out[i]))) {
+            has_digit = true;
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    if (has_digit) {
+        out.erase(end);
+        if (!out.empty() && (out.back() == '-' || out.back() == '_')) {
+            out.pop_back();
+        }
+    }
+    std::string compact;
+    compact.reserve(out.size());
+    for (char c : out) {
+        if (std::isalnum(static_cast<unsigned char>(c))) {
+            compact += c;
+        }
+    }
+    return compact;
+}
+
+// Same scoring as nix_cmake_scan: 0 exact, 1 prefix-either, 2 fallback.
+auto match_score(std::string_view stem, std::string_view pkg) -> int {
+    auto s = normalize(stem);
+    auto q = normalize(pkg);
+    if (q.empty()) {
+        return 2;
+    }
+    if (s == q) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    if (!s.empty() && (s.starts_with(q) || q.starts_with(s))) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 2;
+}
+
+// Defensive: read a few KB to verify the .pc has at least one Name: or
+// Libs: line. We don't parse the file — `pkg_check_modules` does that
+// at CMake time — but a sanity check rejects empty/junk files.
+auto looks_like_pc(const fs::path& path) -> bool {
+    std::ifstream in{path};
+    if (!in) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    char buf[4096];
+    in.read(buf, sizeof(buf));
+    std::string_view chunk{buf, static_cast<std::size_t>(in.gcount())};
+    return chunk.find("\nName:") != std::string_view::npos ||
+           chunk.starts_with("Name:") ||
+           chunk.find("\nLibs:") != std::string_view::npos ||
+           chunk.starts_with("Libs:");
+}
+
+} // namespace
+
+auto pc_scan(const fs::path& store_path, const std::string& package_name)
+    -> util::Result<PcCandidate> {
+    const auto pc_dir = store_path / "lib" / "pkgconfig";
+    std::error_code ec;
+    if (!fs::exists(pc_dir, ec) || ec) {
+        return std::unexpected(util::Error{
+            util::ErrorCode::ResolutionUnknownPackage,
+            std::format("no pkgconfig directory under '{}'", pc_dir.string()),
+            "", store_path, std::nullopt,
+        });
+    }
+
+    struct Match {
+        int score;
+        std::string stem;
+        fs::path path;
+    };
+    std::vector<Match> matches;
+
+    for (const auto& entry : fs::directory_iterator{
+             pc_dir, fs::directory_options::skip_permission_denied, ec}) {
+        if (!entry.is_regular_file()) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (entry.path().extension() != ".pc") {
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (!looks_like_pc(entry.path())) {
+            continue;
+        }
+        auto stem = entry.path().stem().string();
+        matches.push_back(Match{
+            .score = match_score(stem, package_name),
+            .stem = stem,
+            .path = entry.path(),
+        });
+    }
+
+    if (matches.empty()) {
+        return std::unexpected(util::Error{
+            util::ErrorCode::ResolutionUnknownPackage,
+            std::format("no usable .pc file under '{}'", pc_dir.string()),
+            "", store_path, std::nullopt,
+        });
+    }
+
+    std::ranges::stable_sort(matches, [](const Match& a, const Match& b) {
+        if (a.score != b.score) {
+            return a.score < b.score;
+        }
+        if (a.stem.size() != b.stem.size()) {
+            return a.stem.size() < b.stem.size();
+        }
+        return a.stem < b.stem;
+    });
+
+    if (matches.front().score >= 2) {
+        return std::unexpected(util::Error{
+            util::ErrorCode::ResolutionUnknownPackage,
+            std::format("no .pc file under '{}' matches package name '{}'",
+                        pc_dir.string(), package_name),
+            "", store_path, std::nullopt,
+        });
+    }
+
+    return PcCandidate{
+        .pc_module = std::move(matches.front().stem),
+        .pc_file = std::move(matches.front().path),
+    };
+}
+
+} // namespace cargoxx::resolver
diff --git a/src/resolver/resolver.cppm b/src/resolver/resolver.cppm
index 8847780..c090e81 100644
--- a/src/resolver/resolver.cppm
+++ b/src/resolver/resolver.cppm
@@ -77,6 +77,22 @@ auto nix_cmake_scan(const std::filesystem::path& store_path,
                     const std::string& package_name)
     -> util::Result<NixCmakeCandidate>;
 
+// A pkg-config-shaped recipe: the package ships a `.pc` file rather
+// than a CMake config. Consumed via `find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)`
+// + `pkg_check_modules(<NAME> REQUIRED IMPORTED_TARGET <pc_module>)`,
+// linking against the generated `PkgConfig::<NAME>` target.
+struct PcCandidate {
+    std::string pc_module;             // file stem, e.g. "sqlite3"
+    std::filesystem::path pc_file;     // path to the .pc on disk
+};
+
+// Walks <store_path>/lib/pkgconfig/*.pc and picks the best match for
+// `package_name`. Returns ResolutionUnknownPackage when no `.pc` file
+// is present or none scores acceptably.
+auto pc_scan(const std::filesystem::path& store_path,
+             const std::string& package_name)
+    -> util::Result<PcCandidate>;
+
 // Output of a conan-center-index recipe scrape.
 struct ConanRecipe {
     std::string find_package; // e.g. "fmt CONFIG REQUIRED"