diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5329fae..00ffd2b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -77,11 +77,13 @@ macro(use_cxx target)
         else()
             target_compile_options(${target} PRIVATE "-std=c++${ETCD_CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}")
         endif()
-    else()
+    elseif(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.8")
         set_target_properties(${target} PROPERTIES
             CXX_STANDARD ${ETCD_CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD}
             CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON
         )
+    else()
+        target_compile_features(${target} PUBLIC cxx_std_${ETCD_CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD})
     endif()
 endmacro(use_cxx)
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 8d5404f..e77e92a 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ add_library(etcd-cpp-api-core-objects OBJECT ${CPP_CLIENT_CORE_SRC} ${PROTOBUF_G
 use_cxx(etcd-cpp-api-core-objects)
 add_dependencies(etcd-cpp-api-core-objects protobuf_generates)
 include_generated_protobuf_files(etcd-cpp-api-core-objects)
+target_link_libraries(etcd-cpp-api-core-objects PUBLIC
+                      ${Boost_LIBRARIES}
+                      ${PROTOBUF_LIBRARIES}
+                      ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
+                      ${GRPC_LIBRARIES}
+)
 
 # add the core library, includes the sycnhronous client only
 add_library(etcd-cpp-api-core $<TARGET_OBJECTS:etcd-cpp-api-core-objects>)