diff --git a/docs/source/development/cmake.rst b/docs/source/development/cmake.rst
index e965f46e4e..477b4f3b35 100644
--- a/docs/source/development/cmake.rst
+++ b/docs/source/development/cmake.rst
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ the CMake configuration which comes with the library. Typical usage is:
 
     find_package(PROJ)
 
-    target_link_libraries(MyApp ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+    target_link_libraries(MyApp PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 
 By adding the imported library target ``${PROJ_LIBRARIES}`` to the
 target link libraries, CMake will also pass the include directories to
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ package to work with pre-7.0 versions of PROJ, you will need to use
 .. code::
 
     find_package(PROJ4)
-    target_link_libraries(MyApp ${PROJ4_LIBRARIES})
+    target_link_libraries(MyApp PRIVATE ${PROJ4_LIBRARIES})
     include_directories(${PROJ4_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
 This will also find version 7.0.  This use of the PROJ4 name will be
diff --git a/src/bin_cct.cmake b/src/bin_cct.cmake
index 9e9bb7ec96..b36f60de73 100644
--- a/src/bin_cct.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_cct.cmake
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ set(CCT_INCLUDE apps/optargpm.h)
 source_group("Source Files\\Bin" FILES ${CCT_SRC})
 
 add_executable(cct ${CCT_SRC} ${CCT_INCLUDE})
-target_link_libraries(cct ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(cct PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(cct PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS cct
diff --git a/src/bin_cs2cs.cmake b/src/bin_cs2cs.cmake
index 48fc802bfe..e3d35871d5 100644
--- a/src/bin_cs2cs.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_cs2cs.cmake
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ set(CS2CS_SRC
 source_group("Source Files\\Bin" FILES ${CS2CS_SRC})
 
 add_executable(cs2cs ${CS2CS_SRC} ${CS2CS_INCLUDE})
-target_link_libraries(cs2cs ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(cs2cs PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(cs2cs PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS cs2cs
diff --git a/src/bin_geod.cmake b/src/bin_geod.cmake
index c3df5e7a29..98dbc4ee04 100644
--- a/src/bin_geod.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_geod.cmake
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ set(GEOD_INCLUDE apps/geod_interface.h)
 source_group("Source Files\\Bin" FILES ${GEOD_SRC} ${GEOD_INCLUDE})
 
 add_executable(geod ${GEOD_SRC} ${GEOD_INCLUDE})
-target_link_libraries(geod ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(geod PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(geod PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS geod
diff --git a/src/bin_geodtest.cmake b/src/bin_geodtest.cmake
index cc155672b7..ab366144c7 100644
--- a/src/bin_geodtest.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_geodtest.cmake
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ set(GEODTEST_INCLUDE)
 source_group("Source Files\\Bin" FILES ${GEODTEST_SRC} ${GEODTEST_INCLUDE})
 
 add_executable(geodtest ${GEODTEST_SRC} ${GEODTEST_INCLUDE})
-target_link_libraries(geodtest ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(geodtest PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(geodtest PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 # Do not install, instead run as a test
diff --git a/src/bin_gie.cmake b/src/bin_gie.cmake
index 94a7cea54b..5cf9d86dc5 100644
--- a/src/bin_gie.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_gie.cmake
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ set(GIE_INCLUDE apps/optargpm.h)
 source_group("Source Files\\Bin" FILES ${GIE_SRC})
 
 add_executable(gie ${GIE_SRC} ${GIE_INCLUDE})
-target_link_libraries(gie ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(gie PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(gie PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS gie
diff --git a/src/bin_proj.cmake b/src/bin_proj.cmake
index 89fd3ff9e7..d251338641 100644
--- a/src/bin_proj.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_proj.cmake
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ add_executable(binproj ${PROJ_SRC})
 set_target_properties(binproj
   PROPERTIES
   RUNTIME_OUTPUT_NAME proj)
-target_link_libraries(binproj ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(binproj PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(binproj PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS binproj
diff --git a/src/bin_projinfo.cmake b/src/bin_projinfo.cmake
index 8610a3a7eb..1b8ed63706 100644
--- a/src/bin_projinfo.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_projinfo.cmake
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ add_executable(binprojinfo ${PROJINFO_SRC})
 set_target_properties(binprojinfo
   PROPERTIES
   OUTPUT_NAME projinfo)
-target_link_libraries(binprojinfo ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(binprojinfo PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(binprojinfo PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 
 install(TARGETS binprojinfo
diff --git a/src/bin_projsync.cmake b/src/bin_projsync.cmake
index 0e71044fa1..e18eebd970 100644
--- a/src/bin_projsync.cmake
+++ b/src/bin_projsync.cmake
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ add_executable(bin_projsync ${PROJSYNC_SRC})
 set_target_properties(bin_projsync
   PROPERTIES
   OUTPUT_NAME projsync)
-target_link_libraries(bin_projsync ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(bin_projsync PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 target_compile_options(bin_projsync PRIVATE ${PROJ_CXX_WARN_FLAGS})
 install(TARGETS bin_projsync
   RUNTIME DESTINATION ${BINDIR})
diff --git a/src/lib_proj.cmake b/src/lib_proj.cmake
index 367ff97690..2a248a7065 100644
--- a/src/lib_proj.cmake
+++ b/src/lib_proj.cmake
@@ -386,30 +386,30 @@ set(PROJ_LIBRARIES ${PROJ_LIBRARIES} PARENT_SCOPE)
 if(UNIX)
   find_library(M_LIB m)
   if(M_LIB)
-    target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} -lm)
+    target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE -lm)
   endif()
   find_library(DL_LIB dl)
   if(M_LIB)
-    target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} -ldl)
+    target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE -ldl)
   endif()
 endif()
 if(USE_THREAD AND Threads_FOUND AND CMAKE_USE_PTHREADS_INIT)
-  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
+  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
 endif()
 
 target_include_directories(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${SQLITE3_INCLUDE_DIR})
-target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
+target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
 
 if(TIFF_ENABLED)
   target_compile_definitions(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE -DTIFF_ENABLED)
   target_include_directories(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${TIFF_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} ${TIFF_LIBRARY})
+  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${TIFF_LIBRARY})
 endif()
 
 if(CURL_ENABLED)
   target_compile_definitions(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE -DCURL_ENABLED)
   target_include_directories(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${CURL_INCLUDE_DIR})
-  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} ${CURL_LIBRARY})
+  target_link_libraries(${PROJ_CORE_TARGET} PRIVATE ${CURL_LIBRARY})
 endif()
 
 if(MSVC AND BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
diff --git a/test/postinstall/testappprojinfo/CMakeLists.txt b/test/postinstall/testappprojinfo/CMakeLists.txt
index 2405bc8cb4..beac54ff3f 100644
--- a/test/postinstall/testappprojinfo/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/postinstall/testappprojinfo/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ foreach(_variableName ${_variableNames})
 endforeach()
 
 add_executable(testappprojinfo testappprojinfo.c)
-target_link_libraries(testappprojinfo ${${USE_PROJ_NAME}_LIBRARIES})
+target_link_libraries(testappprojinfo PRIVATE ${${USE_PROJ_NAME}_LIBRARIES})
 
 include(CTest)
 
diff --git a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 7c4c124a85..b9efd9265d 100644
--- a/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ add_executable(proj_errno_string_test
   main.cpp
   proj_errno_string_test.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(proj_errno_string_test
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME proj_errno_string_test COMMAND proj_errno_string_test)
 set_property(TEST proj_errno_string_test
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ add_executable(proj_angular_io_test
   main.cpp
   proj_angular_io_test.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(proj_angular_io_test
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME proj_angular_io_test COMMAND proj_angular_io_test)
 set_property(TEST proj_angular_io_test
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ add_executable(proj_context_test
   main.cpp
   proj_context_test.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(proj_context_test
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME proj_context_test COMMAND proj_context_test)
 set_property(TEST proj_context_test
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ else()
     main.cpp
     pj_phi2_test.cpp)
   target_link_libraries(pj_phi2_test
-    GTest::gtest
-    ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+    PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+    PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
   add_test(NAME pj_phi2_test COMMAND pj_phi2_test)
   set_property(TEST pj_phi2_test
     PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
@@ -127,20 +127,19 @@ add_executable(proj_test_cpp_api
   test_c_api.cpp
   test_grids.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(proj_test_cpp_api
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES}
-  ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES}
+  PRIVATE ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
 add_test(NAME proj_test_cpp_api COMMAND proj_test_cpp_api)
 set_property(TEST proj_test_cpp_api
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
 
-
 add_executable(gie_self_tests
   main.cpp
   gie_self_tests.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(gie_self_tests
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME gie_self_tests COMMAND gie_self_tests)
 set_property(TEST gie_self_tests
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
@@ -151,34 +150,32 @@ add_executable(test_network
 if(CURL_ENABLED)
   include_directories(${CURL_INCLUDE_DIR})
   target_compile_definitions(test_network PRIVATE -DCURL_ENABLED)
-  target_link_libraries(test_network ${CURL_LIBRARY})
+  target_link_libraries(test_network PRIVATE ${CURL_LIBRARY})
 endif()
 target_link_libraries(test_network
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES}
-  ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES}
+  PRIVATE ${SQLITE3_LIBRARY})
 add_test(NAME test_network COMMAND test_network)
 set_property(TEST test_network
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
 
-
 add_executable(test_defmodel
   main.cpp
   test_defmodel.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(test_defmodel
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME test_defmodel COMMAND test_defmodel)
 set_property(TEST test_defmodel
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})
 
-
 add_executable(test_tinshift
   main.cpp
   test_tinshift.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(test_tinshift
-  GTest::gtest
-  ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
+  PRIVATE GTest::gtest
+  PRIVATE ${PROJ_LIBRARIES})
 add_test(NAME test_tinshift COMMAND test_tinshift)
 set_property(TEST test_tinshift
   PROPERTY ENVIRONMENT ${PROJ_TEST_ENVIRONMENT})