diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b4dfbf3..8007b5e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ target_include_directories(
   cxxopts INTERFACE
   include/
   )
+target_link_libraries(
+  cxxopts
+  INTERFACE ${CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES}
+  )
+
 
 add_subdirectory(src)
 add_subdirectory(test)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 030ca95..9a79b08 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 if(CXXOPTS_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
     add_executable(example example.cpp)
-    target_link_libraries(example cxxopts ${CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES})
+    target_link_libraries(example cxxopts)
 
     if (MSVC)
         target_compile_options(example PUBLIC /W2)
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index c7a09e1..19aa960 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 if (CXXOPTS_BUILD_TESTS)
     add_executable(options_test options.cpp)
-    target_link_libraries(options_test cxxopts ${CXXOPTS_LINKER_LIBRARIES})
+    target_link_libraries(options_test cxxopts)
 
     if (MSVC)
         target_compile_options(options_test PUBLIC /W2)