diff --git a/Source/cmPackageInfoReader.cxx b/Source/cmPackageInfoReader.cxx
index cffd9be020..abf5e695dc 100644
--- a/Source/cmPackageInfoReader.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmPackageInfoReader.cxx
@@ -692,6 +692,7 @@ cmTarget* cmPackageInfoReader::AddLibraryComponent(
 {
   // Create the imported target.
   cmTarget* const target = makefile->AddImportedTarget(name, type, false);
+  target->SetOrigin(cmTarget::Origin::Cps);
 
   // Set default configurations.
   if (!this->DefaultConfigurations.empty()) {
diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.cxx b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
index d4ee14d89a..d87fd7c41f 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.cxx
@@ -589,6 +589,7 @@ class cmTargetInternals
 {
 public:
   cmStateEnums::TargetType TargetType;
+  cmTarget::Origin Origin = cmTarget::Origin::Unknown;
   cmMakefile* Makefile;
   cmPolicies::PolicyMap PolicyMap;
   cmTarget const* TemplateTarget;
@@ -1112,6 +1113,18 @@ cmStateEnums::TargetType cmTarget::GetType() const
   return this->impl->TargetType;
 }
 
+void cmTarget::SetOrigin(Origin origin)
+{
+  assert(origin != cmTarget::Origin::Unknown);
+  assert(this->impl->Origin == cmTarget::Origin::Unknown);
+  this->impl->Origin = origin;
+}
+
+cmTarget::Origin cmTarget::GetOrigin() const
+{
+  return this->impl->Origin;
+}
+
 cmMakefile* cmTarget::GetMakefile() const
 {
   return this->impl->Makefile;
diff --git a/Source/cmTarget.h b/Source/cmTarget.h
index 2bddec5dda..4d75f45d3e 100644
--- a/Source/cmTarget.h
+++ b/Source/cmTarget.h
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ public:
     Foreign,
   };
 
+  enum class Origin
+  {
+    Cps,
+    Unknown,
+  };
+
   enum class PerConfig
   {
     Yes,
@@ -70,6 +76,12 @@ public:
   //! Return the type of target.
   cmStateEnums::TargetType GetType() const;
 
+  //! Set the origin of the target.
+  void SetOrigin(Origin origin);
+
+  //! Return the origin of the target.
+  Origin GetOrigin() const;
+
   //! Get the cmMakefile that owns this target.
   cmMakefile* GetMakefile() const;