diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b94424e9e..23ba0110f 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ endif()
 # license
 set(LICENSE "GPL3")
 
+# add definitions for version and license
+if(COMMAND cmake_policy)
+  cmake_policy(SET CMP0005 NEW)
+  add_definitions(-DWEECHAT_VERSION="${VERSION}" -DWEECHAT_LICENSE="${LICENSE}")
+else()
+  add_definitions(-DWEECHAT_VERSION='"${VERSION}"' -DWEECHAT_LICENSE='"${LICENSE}"')
+endif()
+
 # package string
 set(PKG_STRING "${PROJECT_NAME} ${VERSION}")
 string(REPLACE "\";\"" "\ " PKG_STRING ${PKG_STRING})
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 516b3b0fb..b044f8b96 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,13 +19,6 @@
 # along with WeeChat.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-if(COMMAND cmake_policy)
-  cmake_policy(SET CMP0005 NEW)
-  add_definitions(-DWEECHAT_VERSION="${VERSION}" -DWEECHAT_LICENSE="${LICENSE}")
-else()
-  add_definitions(-DWEECHAT_VERSION='"${VERSION}"' -DWEECHAT_LICENSE='"${LICENSE}"')
-endif()
-
 add_subdirectory(core)
 list(APPEND STATIC_LIBS weechat_core)