diff --git a/ZeekPluginDynamic.cmake b/ZeekPluginDynamic.cmake
index 85d290b..9584124 100644
--- a/ZeekPluginDynamic.cmake
+++ b/ZeekPluginDynamic.cmake
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ function (zeek_add_dynamic_plugin ns name)
 
     # Add user-defined extra dependencies.
     if (FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES)
-        target_link_libraries(${target_name} PUBLIC ${FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES})
+        target_link_libraries(${target_name} PRIVATE ${FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES})
     endif ()
 
     # Add the sources for the plugin.
diff --git a/ZeekPluginStatic.cmake b/ZeekPluginStatic.cmake
index 8a08c30..15657d9 100644
--- a/ZeekPluginStatic.cmake
+++ b/ZeekPluginStatic.cmake
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ function (zeek_add_static_plugin ns name)
 
     # Add extra dependencies.
     if (FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES)
-        target_link_libraries(${target_name} PUBLIC ${FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES})
+        target_link_libraries(${target_name} PRIVATE ${FN_ARGS_DEPENDENCIES})
     endif ()
 
     # Add the sources for the plugin.