diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6e5366652d..cfecd01e09 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,17 +6,6 @@
 # Redistribution and use is allowed according to the terms of the BSD license.
 # For details see the accompanying COPYING-CMAKE-SCRIPTS file.
 
-##
-# Running cmake in a tree in which we have run ./configure ; make
-# creates include/exiv2/exv_conf.h which conflicts with cmake's own exv_conf.h
-# This causes incorrect compilation and linking errors.
-#
-# It's OK to delete this as it will be recreated on demand by <exiv2-dir>/Makefile
-if( EXISTS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/exiv2/exv_conf.h"  )
-    file(REMOVE "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/exiv2/exv_conf.h")
-endif()
-##
-
 CMAKE_MINIMUM_REQUIRED( VERSION 3.1.0 )
 PROJECT( exiv2 )
 
@@ -95,11 +84,6 @@ IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_COMMERCIAL )
     SET (EXIV2_ENABLE_NLS OFF)
 ENDIF()
 
-set (PRIVATE_VAR)
-if(${CMAKE_MAJOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_MINOR_VERSION} GREATER 2.8)
-    set (PRIVATE_VAR PRIVATE)
-endif()
-
 # binary as first, since it workarounds old VS solution compatibility problems
 INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES( ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/ ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/exiv2/)
 
@@ -118,6 +102,8 @@ IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_XMP )
 ENDIF( EXIV2_ENABLE_XMP )
 
 include( config/generateConfigFile.cmake )
+include_directories(${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})  # Make the exv_conf.h file visible for the full project
+
 include( config/CMakeChecks.txt )
 
 SET( INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS
@@ -147,7 +133,9 @@ SET( XMPSRC ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/xmpsdk/src/ExpatAdapter.cpp
             ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/xmpsdk/src/XMPUtils.cpp
 )
 
-ADD_SUBDIRECTORY( xmpsdk )
+if( EXIV2_ENABLE_LIBXMP )
+    ADD_SUBDIRECTORY( xmpsdk )
+endif()
 ADD_SUBDIRECTORY( src )
 
 IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_BUILD_SAMPLES )
diff --git a/config/findDependencies.cmake b/config/findDependencies.cmake
index 36d3ebf481..809c8043d3 100644
--- a/config/findDependencies.cmake
+++ b/config/findDependencies.cmake
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ endif( EXIV2_ENABLE_WEBREADY )
 
 if (EXIV2_ENABLE_XMP)
     find_package(EXPAT REQUIRED)
-    include_directories(${EXPAT_INCLUDE_DIR})
 endif (EXIV2_ENABLE_XMP)
 
 if( EXIV2_ENABLE_NLS )
diff --git a/config/generateConfigFile.cmake b/config/generateConfigFile.cmake
index 56fe58815d..c4eb787fbd 100644
--- a/config/generateConfigFile.cmake
+++ b/config/generateConfigFile.cmake
@@ -64,5 +64,4 @@ return 0;
 
 #####################################################################################
 
-configure_file( config/config.h.cmake ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/exiv2/exv_conf.h @ONLY)
-#configure_file( config/config.h.cmake ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/exiv2/exv_conf.h)
+configure_file( config/config.h.cmake ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/exv_conf.h @ONLY)
diff --git a/samples/CMakeLists.txt b/samples/CMakeLists.txt
index d128825b92..cf33f2fdaa 100644
--- a/samples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/samples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ FOREACH(entry ${SAMPLES})
     STRING( REPLACE ".cpp" "" target ${entry})
     ADD_EXECUTABLE( ${target} ${target}.cpp )
     ADD_TEST( ${target}_test ${target} )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( ${target} ${PRIVATE_VAR} exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES})
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( ${target} PRIVATE exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES})
     INSTALL( TARGETS ${target} ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 ENDFOREACH(entry ${SAMPLES})
 
@@ -61,26 +61,28 @@ ENDIF( MSVC )
 
 SET( MC_SRC ${MC_SRC} metacopy.cpp ../src/utils.cpp )
 ADD_EXECUTABLE( metacopy ${MC_SRC} )
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( metacopy ${PRIVATE_VAR} exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
+TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( metacopy PRIVATE exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
 INSTALL( TARGETS metacopy ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 
 SET   ( PATHTEST_SRC             ${PATHTEST_SRC}  path-test.cpp ../src/utils.cpp )
 ADD_EXECUTABLE       ( pathtest  ${PATHTEST_SRC} )
 SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES( pathtest  PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME path-test )
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( pathtest  ${PRIVATE_VAR} exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
+TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( pathtest  PRIVATE exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
 INSTALL      ( TARGETS pathtest  ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 
 SET( EXIV2JSON_SRC     exiv2json.cpp Jzon.cpp )
 ADD_EXECUTABLE(        exiv2json ${EXIV2JSON_SRC} )
 SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES( exiv2json PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME exiv2json )
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2json ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${PRIVATE_VAR} exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
+TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2json PRIVATE exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
 INSTALL( TARGETS       exiv2json ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 
-SET( GEOTAG_SRC        geotag.cpp )
-ADD_EXECUTABLE(        geotag    ${GEOTAG_SRC} )
-SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES( geotag    PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME geotag )
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( geotag    ${PRIVATE_VAR} exiv2lib ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
-INSTALL( TARGETS       geotag    ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
+if( EXIV2_ENABLE_LIBXMP )
+    SET( GEOTAG_SRC        geotag.cpp )
+    ADD_EXECUTABLE(        geotag    ${GEOTAG_SRC} )
+    SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES( geotag    PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME geotag )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( geotag    PRIVATE exiv2lib ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES})
+    INSTALL( TARGETS       geotag    ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
+endif()
 
 # ******************************************************************************
 # Man page
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 7fcebfd34d..367c0997eb 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -260,60 +260,51 @@ if ( MSVC )
     if ( EXIV2_ENABLE_STATIC )
         TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib zlibstatic ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
     else()
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
     endif()
     source_group("Header Files" FILES ${LIBEXIV2_HDR} )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} )
     source_group("Header Files" FILES ${LIBCURL_HDR} )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${CURL_LIBRARIES} )
     source_group("Header Files" FILES ${SSH_HDR} )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${SSH_LIBRARIES} )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES}
+                                            ${CURL_LIBRARIES} ${SSH_LIBRARIES})
 else()
     if ( UNIX AND NOT FREEBSD )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} dl ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} dl ${CURL_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} dl ${SSH_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} dl ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE dl ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE dl ${CURL_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE dl ${SSH_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE dl ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
     else()
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${CURL_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${SSH_LIBRARIES} )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${CURL_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${SSH_LIBRARIES} )
+        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} )
     endif()
 endif()
 
 if( EXIV2_ENABLE_LIBXMP )
-    ADD_DEPENDENCIES( exiv2lib xmp )
-    if  ( MSVC )
-        LINK_DIRECTORIES(${LIBRARY_OUTPUT_PATH}/$(ConfigurationName))
-    else()
-        ADD_DEPENDENCIES( exiv2lib xmp)
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
-    endif(MSVC)
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} xmp )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PUBLIC xmp )
 ENDIF()
 
 IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_PNG )
     IF( ZLIB_FOUND )
         IF( MSVC )
-            TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} optimized ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
+            TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE optimized ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
         ELSE()
-            TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
+            TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} )
         ENDIF()
     ENDIF()
 ENDIF()
 
 IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_NLS )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR}  ${LIBINTL_LIBRARIES} )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE  ${LIBINTL_LIBRARIES} )
 ENDIF( EXIV2_ENABLE_NLS )
 
 IF( ICONV_FOUND )
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR}  ${ICONV_LIBRARIES} )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE  ${ICONV_LIBRARIES} )
 ENDIF( ICONV_FOUND )
 
 IF (CYGWIN OR MINGW)
-    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib ${PRIVATE_VAR}  psapi ws2_32 )
+    TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( exiv2lib PRIVATE  psapi ws2_32 )
 ENDIF(CYGWIN OR MINGW)
 
 INSTALL( TARGETS exiv2lib ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
@@ -330,7 +321,7 @@ INSTALL( TARGETS exiv2 ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 # ******************************************************************************
 # connection test application
 ADD_EXECUTABLE( conntest ${CONNTEST} )
-TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( conntest ${PRIVATE_VAR}  exiv2lib ${CURL_LIBRARIES} ${SSH_LIBRARIES} ${LIBINTL_LIBRARIES} )
+TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES( conntest PRIVATE  exiv2lib ${CURL_LIBRARIES} ${SSH_LIBRARIES} ${LIBINTL_LIBRARIES} )
 
 # ******************************************************************************
 # exifprint application
diff --git a/xmpsdk/CMakeLists.txt b/xmpsdk/CMakeLists.txt
index 278f5407e0..4e732ffde4 100644
--- a/xmpsdk/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/xmpsdk/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -31,18 +31,15 @@ IF( EXIV2_ENABLE_XMP AND EXIV2_ENABLE_LIBXMP )
     check_include_file( "stdint.h"  EXV_HAVE_STDINT_H )
 
     ADD_LIBRARY( xmp STATIC ${XMPSRC} )
+    target_compile_definitions(xmp PUBLIC XML_STATIC)
+    target_include_directories(xmp PUBLIC ${EXPAT_INCLUDE_DIR})
 
     target_include_directories(xmp PRIVATE ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/xmpsdk/include)
     if (EXV_HAVE_STDINT_H)
         target_compile_definitions(xmp PRIVATE EXV_HAVE_STDINT_H)
     endif()
 
-    GET_TARGET_PROPERTY( XMPLIB xmp LOCATION )
-    if ( NOT MSVC )
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(xmp ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES})
-    else()
-        TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(xmp ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT} ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES})
-    endif()
+    target_link_libraries(xmp PUBLIC ${EXPAT_LIBRARIES})
     # 1119  Install libxmp.a for use by third party applications (Thanks, Emmanuel)
     INSTALL(TARGETS xmp ${INSTALL_TARGET_STANDARD_ARGS} )
 ENDIF()