diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6a6cd216a..326f5b37a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ add_library(ghostty-vt-static STATIC IMPORTED GLOBAL)
 set_target_properties(ghostty-vt-static PROPERTIES
     IMPORTED_LOCATION "${GHOSTTY_VT_STATIC_LIBRARY}"
     INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${ZIG_OUT_DIR}/include"
+    INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "GHOSTTY_STATIC"
 )
 if(WIN32)
     # On Windows, the Zig standard library uses NT API functions