diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b026249dc..e80df5f5a6 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING)
     ${HHEADERS} ${CSOURCES}
   )
   target_compile_definitions(curlu PUBLIC UNITTESTS CURL_STATICLIB)
+  target_link_libraries(curlu PRIVATE ${CURL_LIBS})
 endif()
 
 if(ENABLE_CURLDEBUG)
@@ -64,10 +65,6 @@ if(ENABLE_CURLDEBUG)
   set_source_files_properties(memdebug.c curl_multibyte.c PROPERTIES SKIP_UNITY_BUILD_INCLUSION ON)
 endif()
 
-if(BUILD_TESTING)
-  target_link_libraries(curlu PRIVATE ${CURL_LIBS})
-endif()
-
 transform_makefile_inc("Makefile.soname" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Makefile.soname.cmake")
 include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Makefile.soname.cmake)