diff --git a/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake b/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
index 90753c7..52aa2ff 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         endif()
     endmacro()
 
-    macro(link_against_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+    macro(link_against_library_varnames NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED PRIVATE_LIBRARIES_VARNAME PUBLIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME)
         # determine whether the library is required or optional
         # FIXME: improve passing required argument
         if("${REQUIRED}" STREQUAL "OPTIONAL")
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
             set(USE_STATIC_${NAME} ON)
             list(APPEND LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             if(${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_DEPENDS)
-                list(APPEND PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             else()
-                list(APPEND PRIVATE_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             endif()
             message(STATUS "Linking ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} statically against external library ${NAME} (${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB}).")
         elseif((${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB OR ${NAME}_SHARED_LIB) AND (("${LINKAGE}" STREQUAL "AUTO_LINKAGE") OR ("${LINKAGE}" STREQUAL "SHARED")))
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
             endif()
             list(APPEND LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
             if(${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_DEPENDS)
-                list(APPEND PUBLIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
             else()
-                list(APPEND PRIVATE_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
             endif()
             message(STATUS "Linking ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} dynamically against external library ${NAME} (${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB}).")
         else()
@@ -76,24 +76,40 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         if(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB)
             list(APPEND STATIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             if(${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_DEPENDS)
-                list(APPEND PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             else()
-                list(APPEND PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
             endif()
             message(STATUS "Adding ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} to static library dependencies of ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}.")
         endif()
     endmacro()
 
-    macro(use_external_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+    macro(link_against_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+        link_against_library_varnames("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}"
+            PRIVATE_LIBRARIES PUBLIC_LIBRARIES PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES
+        )
+    endmacro()
+
+    macro(link_tests_against_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+        link_against_library_varnames("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}"
+            TEST_LIBRARIES TEST_LIBRARIES STATIC_TEST_LIBRARIES STATIC_TEST_LIBRARIES
+        )
+    endmacro()
+
+    macro(find_external_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
         save_default_library_suffixes()
         configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
         find_library(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${NAME})
         configure_static_library_suffixes()
         find_library(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${NAME})
-        link_against_library(${NAME} ${LINKAGE} ${REQUIRED})
         restore_default_library_suffixes()
     endmacro()
 
+    macro(use_external_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+        find_external_library("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}")
+        link_against_library("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}")
+    endmacro()
+
     function(use_external_library_from_package_dynamic NAME PKGNAME INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR COMPAT_VERSION)
         # internally used by use_external_library_from_package to find dynamic libraries
         configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
@@ -110,7 +126,7 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         set(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${${LIBRARY_VAR}} PARENT_SCOPE)
     endfunction()
 
-    macro(use_external_library_from_package NAME PKGNAME VERSION INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+    macro(find_external_library_from_package NAME PKGNAME VERSION INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR LINKAGE REQUIRED)
         save_default_library_suffixes()
 
         # handle specified VERSION
@@ -135,11 +151,14 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
             use_external_library_from_package_static(${NAME} ${PKGNAME} ${INCLUDE_VAR} "${LIBRARY_VAR}" "${${NAME}_COMPATIBLE_VERSION}")
         endif()
 
-        link_against_library(${NAME} ${LINKAGE} ${REQUIRED})
-
         restore_default_library_suffixes()
     endmacro()
 
+    macro(use_external_library_from_package NAME PKGNAME VERSION INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+        find_external_library_from_package("${NAME}" "${PKGNAME}" "${VERSION}" "${INCLUDE_VAR}" "${LIBRARY_VAR}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}")
+        link_against_library("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" "${REQUIRED}")
+    endmacro()
+
     macro(use_iconv LINKAGE REQUIRED)
         # check whether iconv exists in the standard library
         include(CheckFunctionExists)