diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3bf80f80..20ffaf81 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ endif ()
 if (MINGW)
   check_cxx_compiler_flag("-Wa,-mbig-obj" FMT_HAS_MBIG_OBJ)
   if (${FMT_HAS_MBIG_OBJ})
-    target_compile_options(fmt PUBLIC "-Wa,-mbig-obj")
+    target_compile_options(fmt PRIVATE "-Wa,-mbig-obj")
   endif()
 endif ()