diff --git a/tracetools/CMakeLists.txt b/tracetools/CMakeLists.txt
index 0ac40da..1e9ffb8 100644
--- a/tracetools/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tracetools/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -134,4 +134,4 @@ endif()
 
 ament_package()
 
-add_definitions("-D${PROJECT_NAME}_VERSION=\"${${PROJECT_NAME}_VERSION}\"")
+target_compile_definitions(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ${PROJECT_NAME}_VERSION="${${PROJECT_NAME}_VERSION}")