diff --git a/support/cmake/module_definition.cmake b/support/cmake/module_definition.cmake
index f69997c8b8..1cfb40a8f1 100644
--- a/support/cmake/module_definition.cmake
+++ b/support/cmake/module_definition.cmake
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ function (set_common_compile_settings target_name)
             message(FATAL_ERROR "Compiler does not have C++11 support")
           endif ()
 
-        target_compile_definitions(${library_name} PUBLIC "-ggdb")
+        target_compile_options(${library_name} PUBLIC "-ggdb")
         if (OPENSPACE_WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS)
             target_compile_options(${library_name} PUBLIC "-Werror")
         endif ()        
diff --git a/support/cmake/support_macros.cmake b/support/cmake/support_macros.cmake
index 2a8a08ab91..a0acfa8590 100644
--- a/support/cmake/support_macros.cmake
+++ b/support/cmake/support_macros.cmake
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ function (set_compile_settings)
             message(FATAL_ERROR "Compiler does not have C++11 support")
           endif ()
 
-        target_compile_definitions(libOpenSpace PUBLIC "-ggdb")
+        target_compile_options(libOpenSpace PUBLIC "-ggdb")
     endif ()
 endfunction ()