diff --git a/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 9b0fda5409..1272347d3a 100644
--- a/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@
 
 set(LIBCURL_OUTPUT_NAME "${LIB_NAME}" CACHE STRING "Basename of the curl library")
 
-set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "BUILDING_LIBCURL")
-set_property(DIRECTORY APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${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
diff --git a/tests/client/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/client/CMakeLists.txt
index c8cec6f202..4e550bcdd1 100644
--- a/tests/client/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/client/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ target_include_directories(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE
   "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/lib"            # for "curl_setup.h", curlx
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"          # for the generated bundle source to find included test sources
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_NO_OLDIES")
 set_target_properties(${BUNDLE} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "${BUNDLE}" PROJECT_LABEL "Test ${BUNDLE}" UNITY_BUILD OFF C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 
 curl_add_clang_tidy_test_target("${BUNDLE}-clang-tidy" ${BUNDLE} ${FIRST_C} ${TESTS_C})
diff --git a/tests/client/Makefile.am b/tests/client/Makefile.am
index 928ec5b943..650415fcdd 100644
--- a/tests/client/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/client/Makefile.am
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ LIBS = $(BLANK_AT_MAKETIME)
 if USE_CPPFLAG_CURL_STATICLIB
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_STATICLIB
 endif
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_NO_OLDIES
 
 if USE_CPPFLAG_CURL_STATICLIB
 curlx_c_lib =
diff --git a/tests/client/first.h b/tests/client/first.h
index 0785bc7460..3c6e5bfc22 100644
--- a/tests/client/first.h
+++ b/tests/client/first.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
  *
  ***************************************************************************/
+#define CURL_NO_OLDIES
+
 #include "curl_setup.h"
 
 typedef int (*entry_func_t)(int, char **);
diff --git a/tests/libtest/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/libtest/CMakeLists.txt
index 77b69a0a30..849bd66202 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/libtest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ target_include_directories(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE
   "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/lib"            # for "curl_setup.h", curlx
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"          # for the generated bundle source to find included test sources
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS}")
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_NO_OLDIES" "CURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION")
+target_compile_definitions(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE ${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS})
 set_target_properties(${BUNDLE} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "${BUNDLE}" PROJECT_LABEL "Test ${BUNDLE}" UNITY_BUILD OFF C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 
 curl_add_clang_tidy_test_target("${BUNDLE}-clang-tidy" ${BUNDLE} ${FIRST_C} ${UTILS_C} ${TESTS_C})
diff --git a/tests/libtest/Makefile.am b/tests/libtest/Makefile.am
index ef953466ef..2e746a9631 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/libtest/Makefile.am
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ endif
 if CURLDEBUG
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURLDEBUG
 endif
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_NO_OLDIES -DCURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION
 
 if USE_CPPFLAG_CURL_STATICLIB
 curlx_c_lib =
diff --git a/tests/libtest/first.h b/tests/libtest/first.h
index 24aefed9c6..a909290024 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/first.h
+++ b/tests/libtest/first.h
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
  *
  ***************************************************************************/
+#define CURL_NO_OLDIES
+#define CURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION
+
 /* Now include the curl_setup.h file from libcurl's private libdir (the source
    version, but that might include "curl_config.h" from the build dir so we
    need both of them in the include path), so that we get good in-depth
diff --git a/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
index 887f8c72ec..15a5e975dc 100644
--- a/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/server/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -42,17 +42,6 @@ target_include_directories(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE
   "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/lib"            # for "curl_setup.h", curlx
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"          # for the generated bundle source to find included test sources
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "WITHOUT_LIBCURL")
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_NO_OLDIES")
-# Test servers simply are standalone programs that do not use libcurl
-# library.  For convenience and to ease portability of these servers,
-# some source code files from the libcurl subdirectory are also used
-# to build the servers.  In order to achieve proper linkage of these
-# files on Windows targets it is necessary to build the test servers
-# with CURL_STATICLIB defined, independently of how libcurl is built.
-if(WIN32)
-  set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_STATICLIB")
-endif()
 set_target_properties(${BUNDLE} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "${BUNDLE}" PROJECT_LABEL "Test ${BUNDLE}" UNITY_BUILD OFF C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 
 curl_add_clang_tidy_test_target("${BUNDLE}-clang-tidy" ${BUNDLE} ${FIRST_C} ${UTILS_C} ${TESTS_C})
diff --git a/tests/server/Makefile.am b/tests/server/Makefile.am
index 176bcd558a..0751903a61 100644
--- a/tests/server/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/server/Makefile.am
@@ -48,12 +48,6 @@ CFLAGS += @CURL_CFLAG_EXTRAS@
 # Prevent LIBS from being used for all link targets
 LIBS = $(BLANK_AT_MAKETIME)
 
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DWITHOUT_LIBCURL
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_NO_OLDIES
-if DOING_NATIVE_WINDOWS
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_STATICLIB
-endif
-
 $(BUNDLE).c: $(top_srcdir)/scripts/mk-unity.pl Makefile.inc $(FIRST_C) $(UTILS_C) $(CURLX_C) $(TESTS_C)
 	@PERL@ $(top_srcdir)/scripts/mk-unity.pl --include $(UTILS_C) $(CURLX_C) --test $(TESTS_C) > $(BUNDLE).c
 
diff --git a/tests/server/first.h b/tests/server/first.h
index b7b795c835..44dd272ce2 100644
--- a/tests/server/first.h
+++ b/tests/server/first.h
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
  *
  ***************************************************************************/
+
+/* Test servers simply are standalone programs that do not use libcurl
+ * library.  For convenience and to ease portability of these servers,
+ * some source code files from the libcurl subdirectory are also used
+ * to build the servers.  In order to achieve proper linkage of these
+ * files on Windows targets it is necessary to build the test servers
+ * with CURL_STATICLIB defined, independently of how libcurl is built.
+ * For other platforms, this macro is a no-op and safe to set.
+ */
+#define CURL_STATICLIB
+
+#define WITHOUT_LIBCURL
+#define CURL_NO_OLDIES
+
 #include "curl_setup.h"
 
 typedef int (*entry_func_t)(int, char **);
diff --git a/tests/tunit/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/tunit/CMakeLists.txt
index e98b75aef1..b12e9c205f 100644
--- a/tests/tunit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/tunit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,8 +44,7 @@ target_include_directories(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE
   "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/libtest"  # for "first.h", "unitcheck.h"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"          # for the generated bundle source to find included test sources
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS}")
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_NO_OLDIES" "CURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION")
+target_compile_definitions(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE ${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS})
 set_target_properties(${BUNDLE} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "${BUNDLE}" PROJECT_LABEL "Test ${BUNDLE}" UNITY_BUILD OFF C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 
 curl_add_clang_tidy_test_target("${BUNDLE}-clang-tidy" ${BUNDLE} ${FIRST_C} ${TESTS_C})
diff --git a/tests/tunit/Makefile.am b/tests/tunit/Makefile.am
index 14a5baaece..219b7a1057 100644
--- a/tests/tunit/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/tunit/Makefile.am
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ endif
 if CURLDEBUG
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURLDEBUG
 endif
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_NO_OLDIES -DCURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION
 
 if BUILD_UNITTESTS
 $(BUNDLE).c: $(top_srcdir)/scripts/mk-unity.pl Makefile.inc $(FIRST_C) $(TESTS_C)
diff --git a/tests/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 71bb680e78..eb402257f3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,10 +44,8 @@ target_include_directories(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE
   "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/libtest"  # for "first.h", "unitcheck.h"
   "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}"          # for the generated bundle source to find included test sources
 )
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS}")
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "CURL_NO_OLDIES" "CURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION")
-# unit tests are small pretend-libcurl-programs
-set_property(TARGET ${BUNDLE} APPEND PROPERTY COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "BUILDING_LIBCURL")
+# unit tests are small pretend-libcurl-programs, pass BUILDING_LIBCURL to reflect that
+target_compile_definitions(${BUNDLE} PRIVATE ${CURL_DEBUG_MACROS} "BUILDING_LIBCURL")
 set_target_properties(${BUNDLE} PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME "${BUNDLE}" PROJECT_LABEL "Test ${BUNDLE}" UNITY_BUILD OFF C_CLANG_TIDY "")
 
 curl_add_clang_tidy_test_target("${BUNDLE}-clang-tidy" ${BUNDLE} ${FIRST_C} ${TESTS_C})
diff --git a/tests/unit/Makefile.am b/tests/unit/Makefile.am
index eba0807441..a83809595f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/unit/Makefile.am
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ endif
 if CURLDEBUG
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURLDEBUG
 endif
-AM_CPPFLAGS += -DCURL_NO_OLDIES -DCURL_DISABLE_DEPRECATION
+# unit tests are small pretend-libcurl-programs, pass BUILDING_LIBCURL to reflect that
 AM_CPPFLAGS += -DBUILDING_LIBCURL
 
 if BUILD_UNITTESTS