diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -56,10 +56,6 @@
 endif()
 add_definitions(-DQT_NO_URL_CAST_FROM_STRING)
 
-if(BUILD_TESTING)
-   add_definitions(-DBUILD_TESTING)
-endif()
-
 add_subdirectory(src)
 add_subdirectory(kcm)
 add_subdirectory(serializers)
diff --git a/src/akonadi-contacts/CMakeLists.txt b/src/akonadi-contacts/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/akonadi-contacts/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/akonadi-contacts/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@
 
 
 add_library(KF5AkonadiContact ${akonadicontact_LIB_SRC})
-
+if (BUILD_TESTING)
+    target_compile_definitions(KF5AkonadiContact PRIVATE BUILD_TESTING)
+endif()
 generate_export_header(KF5AkonadiContact BASE_NAME akonadi-contact)
 
 add_library(KF5::AkonadiContact ALIAS KF5AkonadiContact)
diff --git a/src/contact-editor/CMakeLists.txt b/src/contact-editor/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/contact-editor/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/contact-editor/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -144,7 +144,9 @@
 
 
 add_library(KF5ContactEditor ${contacteditor_LIB_SRC})
-
+if (BUILD_TESTING)
+    target_compile_definitions(KF5ContactEditor PRIVATE BUILD_TESTING)
+endif()
 generate_export_header(KF5ContactEditor BASE_NAME contacteditor)
 
 add_library(KF5::ContactEditor ALIAS KF5ContactEditor)