diff --git a/ext/CMakeLists.txt b/ext/CMakeLists.txt
index a2baa47a32..034328eaa5 100644
--- a/ext/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ext/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ target_include_directories(
             "$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>")
 
 set_target_properties(opentelemetry_ext PROPERTIES EXPORT_NAME "ext")
+target_link_libraries(opentelemetry_ext INTERFACE opentelemetry_api)
 
 install(
   TARGETS opentelemetry_ext
diff --git a/ext/src/http/client/nosend/CMakeLists.txt b/ext/src/http/client/nosend/CMakeLists.txt
index 9118abbfb5..497daeb342 100644
--- a/ext/src/http/client/nosend/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ext/src/http/client/nosend/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ if(${BUILD_TESTING})
   endif()
 
   target_link_libraries(http_client_nosend ${GTEST_BOTH_LIBRARIES} ${GMOCK_LIB}
-                        opentelemetry_api opentelemetry_ext)
+                        opentelemetry_ext)
 
   install(
     TARGETS http_client_nosend
diff --git a/ext/src/zpages/CMakeLists.txt b/ext/src/zpages/CMakeLists.txt
index 64d9c73728..e3fd480df6 100644
--- a/ext/src/zpages/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ext/src/zpages/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,9 +10,8 @@ add_library(
 
 set_target_properties(opentelemetry_zpages PROPERTIES EXPORT_NAME zpages)
 
-target_link_libraries(
-  opentelemetry_zpages PUBLIC opentelemetry_ext opentelemetry_api
-                              opentelemetry_trace)
+target_link_libraries(opentelemetry_zpages PUBLIC opentelemetry_ext
+                                                  opentelemetry_trace)
 
 install(
   TARGETS opentelemetry_zpages