diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 609de99e36..8441b870af 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ if( T8CODE_ENABLE_NETCDF )
         message("Found netCDF")
         include(cmake/CheckNetCDFPar.cmake)
     endif (netCDF_FOUND)
+    install( FILES
+        t8_cmesh_netcdf.h
+        t8_forest_netcdf.h
+        t8_netcdf.h
+        DESTINATION include
+    )
 endif( T8CODE_ENABLE_NETCDF )
 
 # Override default for this libsc option
@@ -191,22 +197,16 @@ function(t8_add_cmake_properties target)
     endif()
 
     if( T8CODE_ENABLE_NETCDF )
-        target_link_libraries( T8 PUBLIC netCDF::netcdf )
-        target_compile_definitions(T8 PUBLIC
+        target_link_libraries( ${target} PUBLIC netCDF::netcdf )
+        target_compile_definitions(${target} PUBLIC
             T8_WITH_NETCDF
             $<$<AND:$<BOOL:${NETCDF_HAVE_NETCDF_PAR}>,$<BOOL:${T8CODE_ENABLE_MPI}>>:T8_WITH_NETCDF_PAR>
         )
-        target_sources( T8 PRIVATE
+        target_sources( ${target} PRIVATE
         t8_netcdf.c
         t8_cmesh/t8_cmesh_netcdf.c
         t8_forest/t8_forest_netcdf.cxx
         )
-        install( FILES
-            t8_cmesh_netcdf.h
-            t8_forest_netcdf.h
-            t8_netcdf.h
-            DESTINATION include
-        )
     endif()
 
     if( T8CODE_BUILD_WPEDANTIC )