diff --git a/src/dbus/CMakeLists.txt b/src/dbus/CMakeLists.txt
index 4768460e05e..09fcdfd2559 100644
--- a/src/dbus/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/dbus/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -60,10 +60,18 @@ set_source_files_properties(qdbusmarshaller.cpp
 extend_target(DBus CONDITION QT_FEATURE_dbus_linked
     DEFINES
         QT_LINKED_LIBDBUS
-    LIBRARIES
+    PUBLIC_LIBRARIES # special case
         dbus-1
 )
 
+# begin special case:
+extend_target(DBus CONDITION NOT QT_FEATURE_dbus_linked
+    PUBLIC_LIBRARIES
+        dbus-1_nolink
+)
+# end special case:
+
+
 extend_target(DBus CONDITION WIN32
     LIBRARIES
         advapi32