diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index addc38fa3a..a20d19a8d2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ if(ENABLE_ARES)
   list(APPEND CURL_LIBS ${CARES_LIBRARIES})
   list(APPEND CURL_LIBDIRS ${CARES_LIBRARY_DIRS})
   list(APPEND LIBCURL_PC_REQUIRES_PRIVATE ${CARES_PC_REQUIRES})
+  include_directories(SYSTEM ${CARES_INCLUDE_DIRS})
   link_directories(${CARES_LIBRARY_DIRS})
   if(CARES_CFLAGS)
     string(APPEND CMAKE_C_FLAGS " ${CARES_CFLAGS}")
diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index d369d4eaf3..8f158c3892 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@ set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES
   "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/lib"        # for "curl_config.h"
 )
 
-if(USE_ARES)
-  include_directories(SYSTEM ${CARES_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-endif()
-
 if(CURL_BUILD_TESTING)
   # special libcurlu library just for unittests
   add_library(curlu STATIC EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${HHEADERS} ${CSOURCES})