diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@
 add_definitions(-DQT_STRICT_ITERATORS)
 
 
-set(AKONADI_TESTS_EXPORT AKONADICORE_EXPORT)
+if(BUILD_TESTING)
+    set(AKONADI_TESTS_EXPORT AKONADICORE_EXPORT)
+endif()
 configure_file(akonaditests_export.h.in "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/akonaditests_export.h")
 
 # Make sure the KF5Akonadi_DATA_DIR is absolute before passing it to KF5AkonadiConfig.cmake.in