diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index afd5409..2361614 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ if (YAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
 else()
   set(yaml-cpp-type STATIC)
   set(yaml-cpp-label-postfix "static")
-  add_definitions(-DYAML_CPP_STATIC_DEFINE)
 endif()
 
 set(build-shared $<BOOL:${YAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}>)
@@ -123,6 +122,8 @@ target_compile_options(yaml-cpp
     $<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:MSVC>:/W3 /wd4127 /wd4355>)
 
 target_compile_definitions(yaml-cpp
+  PUBLIC
+    $<$<NOT:$<BOOL:${YAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}>>:YAML_CPP_STATIC_DEFINE>
   PRIVATE
     $<${build-windows-dll}:${PROJECT_NAME}_DLL>
     $<$<NOT:$<BOOL:${YAML_CPP_BUILD_CONTRIB}>>:YAML_CPP_NO_CONTRIB>)