diff --git a/src/cpp/CMakeLists.txt b/src/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
index d59001c0f..a89f8d716 100644
--- a/src/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/cpp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ target_include_directories(lcio PUBLIC
   $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}>
 )
 
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( lcio ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
+TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( lcio PUBLIC ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
 TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( lcio PRIVATE SIO::sio )
 
 ADD_CUSTOM_TARGET( lib DEPENDS lcio )
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ MACRO( ADD_LCIO_EXAMPLE file )
   ADD_DEPENDENCIES( examples bin_${file} )
   #MESSAGE( STATUS "ADD_LCIO_EXAMPLE: ${file} ./src/EXAMPLE/${file}.cc" )
   SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES( bin_${file} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME ${file} )
-  TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( bin_${file} lcio )
+  TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( bin_${file} PRIVATE lcio )
   INSTALL( TARGETS bin_${file} DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}" )
 ENDMACRO()
 
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ ADD_LCIO_EXAMPLE( lcio_parallel_processing )
 
 IF( BUILD_ROOTDICT )
   ADD_LCIO_EXAMPLE( lcio_io_benchmark )
-  TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( bin_lcio_io_benchmark ${ROOT_LIBRARIES} )
+  TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( bin_lcio_io_benchmark PRIVATE ${ROOT_LIBRARIES} )
 ENDIF()
 
 IF( BUILD_LCIO_EXAMPLES )