diff --git a/cmake/QtAppHelpers.cmake b/cmake/QtAppHelpers.cmake
index d5c05fe90f0..774944ea53f 100644
--- a/cmake/QtAppHelpers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtAppHelpers.cmake
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function(qt_internal_add_app target)
         "qt_internal_add_app"
         "NO_INSTALL;INSTALL_VERSIONED_LINK;EXCEPTIONS"
         "${__default_target_info_args};INSTALL_DIR"
-        "${__default_private_args}"
+        "${__default_private_args};PUBLIC_LIBRARIES"
         ${ARGN})
 
     set(exceptions "")
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ function(qt_internal_add_app target)
         set(no_install NO_INSTALL)
     endif()
 
+    if(arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES)
+        message(WARNING
+            "qt_internal_add_app's PUBLIC_LIBRARIES option is deprecated, and will be removed in "
+            "a future Qt version. Use the LIBRARIES option instead.")
+    endif()
+
     qt_internal_add_executable("${target}"
         QT_APP
         DELAY_RC
@@ -39,7 +45,10 @@ function(qt_internal_add_app target)
             ${arg_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES}
         DEFINES
             ${arg_DEFINES}
-        LIBRARIES ${arg_LIBRARIES} Qt::PlatformAppInternal
+        LIBRARIES
+            ${arg_LIBRARIES}
+            ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
+            Qt::PlatformAppInternal
         COMPILE_OPTIONS ${arg_COMPILE_OPTIONS}
         LINK_OPTIONS ${arg_LINK_OPTIONS}
         MOC_OPTIONS ${arg_MOC_OPTIONS}
diff --git a/cmake/QtExecutableHelpers.cmake b/cmake/QtExecutableHelpers.cmake
index ef6800fa7b1..c9129d3b5ed 100644
--- a/cmake/QtExecutableHelpers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtExecutableHelpers.cmake
@@ -104,12 +104,21 @@ function(qt_internal_add_executable name)
          ${arg_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES}
     )
 
+    if(arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES)
+        message(WARNING
+            "qt_internal_add_executable's PUBLIC_LIBRARIES option is deprecated, and will be "
+            "removed in a future Qt version. Use the LIBRARIES option instead.")
+    endif()
+
     qt_internal_extend_target("${name}"
         SOURCES ${arg_SOURCES}
         INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES ${private_includes}
         DEFINES ${arg_DEFINES}
-        LIBRARIES ${arg_LIBRARIES} Qt::PlatformCommonInternal
-        PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${extra_libraries} ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
+        LIBRARIES
+            ${arg_LIBRARIES}
+            ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
+            Qt::PlatformCommonInternal
+            ${extra_libraries}
         DBUS_ADAPTOR_SOURCES "${arg_DBUS_ADAPTOR_SOURCES}"
         DBUS_ADAPTOR_FLAGS "${arg_DBUS_ADAPTOR_FLAGS}"
         DBUS_INTERFACE_SOURCES "${arg_DBUS_INTERFACE_SOURCES}"
diff --git a/cmake/QtTestHelpers.cmake b/cmake/QtTestHelpers.cmake
index 6bdbfeec2d2..cb80d22071d 100644
--- a/cmake/QtTestHelpers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtTestHelpers.cmake
@@ -240,6 +240,12 @@ function(qt_internal_add_test name)
         set(version_arg VERSION "${arg_VERSION}")
     endif()
 
+    if(arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES)
+        message(WARNING
+            "qt_internal_add_test's PUBLIC_LIBRARIES option is deprecated, and will be "
+            "removed in a future Qt version. Use the LIBRARIES option instead.")
+    endif()
+
     # Handle cases where we have a qml test without source files
     if (arg_SOURCES)
         set(private_includes
@@ -260,8 +266,11 @@ function(qt_internal_add_test name)
                 ${private_includes}
             DEFINES
                 ${arg_DEFINES}
-            PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Core ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Test ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
-            LIBRARIES ${arg_LIBRARIES}
+            LIBRARIES
+                ${arg_LIBRARIES}
+                ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
+                ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Core
+                ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Test
             COMPILE_OPTIONS ${arg_COMPILE_OPTIONS}
             LINK_OPTIONS ${arg_LINK_OPTIONS}
             MOC_OPTIONS ${arg_MOC_OPTIONS}
@@ -284,7 +293,7 @@ function(qt_internal_add_test name)
 
         # QMLTest specifics
         qt_internal_extend_target("${name}" CONDITION arg_QMLTEST
-            PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::QuickTest
+            LIBRARIES ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::QuickTest
         )
 
         qt_internal_extend_target("${name}" CONDITION arg_QMLTEST AND NOT ANDROID
@@ -299,7 +308,7 @@ function(qt_internal_add_test name)
 
         # Android requires Qt::Gui so add it by default for tests
         qt_internal_extend_target("${name}" CONDITION ANDROID
-            PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Gui
+            LIBRARIES ${QT_CMAKE_EXPORT_NAMESPACE}::Gui
         )
     endif()
 
diff --git a/cmake/QtToolHelpers.cmake b/cmake/QtToolHelpers.cmake
index 2f49e4d8726..5b9340a3a3b 100644
--- a/cmake/QtToolHelpers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/QtToolHelpers.cmake
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ function(qt_internal_add_tool target_name)
     set(multi_value_keywords
         EXTRA_CMAKE_FILES
         EXTRA_CMAKE_INCLUDES
+        PUBLIC_LIBRARIES
         ${__default_private_args})
     qt_parse_all_arguments(arg "qt_internal_add_tool" "${option_keywords}"
                                "${one_value_keywords}"
@@ -194,6 +195,12 @@ function(qt_internal_add_tool target_name)
 
     set(output_dir "${QT_BUILD_DIR}/${install_dir}")
 
+    if(arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES)
+        message(WARNING
+            "qt_internal_add_tool's PUBLIC_LIBRARIES option is deprecated, and will be "
+            "removed in a future Qt version. Use the LIBRARIES option instead.")
+    endif()
+
     qt_internal_add_executable("${target_name}"
         OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${output_dir}"
         ${exceptions}
@@ -205,7 +212,10 @@ function(qt_internal_add_tool target_name)
             QT_USE_QSTRINGBUILDER
             ${arg_DEFINES}
         ${corelib}
-        LIBRARIES ${arg_LIBRARIES} Qt::PlatformToolInternal
+        LIBRARIES
+            ${arg_LIBRARIES}
+            ${arg_PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}
+            Qt::PlatformToolInternal
         COMPILE_OPTIONS ${arg_COMPILE_OPTIONS}
         LINK_OPTIONS ${arg_LINK_OPTIONS}
         MOC_OPTIONS ${arg_MOC_OPTIONS}