diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 31cb6bb19c..1272347d3a 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 set(LIBCURL_OUTPUT_NAME "${LIB_NAME}" CACHE STRING "Basename of the curl library")
 
-set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "BUILDING_LIBCURL" ${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS})
+set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS ${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS} "BUILDING_LIBCURL")
 
 configure_file("curl_config.h.cmake" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/curl_config.h")
 
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 75fbbdf4b9..32dbb0754e 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include   \
 # Prevent LIBS from being used for all link targets
 LIBS = $(BLANK_AT_MAKETIME)
 
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DBUILDING_LIBCURL
 AM_LDFLAGS =
 AM_CFLAGS =
 if DEBUGBUILD
@@ -75,6 +74,7 @@ endif
 if CURLDEBUG
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURLDEBUG
 endif
+AM_CPPFLAGS += -DBUILDING_LIBCURL
 
 if DOING_NATIVE_WINDOWS
 CSOURCES += dllmain.c