diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 15394d6..d39a2b8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@
     else()
       message(WARNING Cannot find static libstdc++.  TigerVNC will depend on dynamic libstdc++.)
     endif()
-    add_definitions(-static-libgcc)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -static-libgcc")
     set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -static-libgcc")
     set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS
       "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS} -static-libgcc")