diff --git a/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake b/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
index 053016e..9fbcfe7 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/3rdParty.cmake
@@ -47,12 +47,24 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
             set(USE_${NAME} ON)
             set(USE_STATIC_${NAME} ON)
             list(APPEND LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+            message(STATUS "Linking ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} statically against external library ${NAME} (${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB}).")
+            if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                list(APPEND ADDITIONAL_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                message(STATUS "Adding include path for ${NAME} to ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}: ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+            endif()
+
             if(${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_DEPENDS)
                 list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PRIVATE_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             else()
                 list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PRIVATE_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             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 ("${LINKAGE}" STREQUAL "SHARED")))
             set(USE_${NAME} ON)
             set(USE_SHARED_${NAME} ON)
@@ -60,12 +72,23 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
                 set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${${NAME}_SHARED_LIB})
             endif()
             list(APPEND LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
+            message(STATUS "Linking ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} dynamically against external library ${NAME} (${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB}).")
+            if(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                list(APPEND ADDITIONAL_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                message(STATUS "Adding include path for ${NAME} to ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}: ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+            endif()
+
             if(${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_DEPENDS)
                 list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PUBLIC_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             else()
                 list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PRIVATE_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             endif()
-            message(STATUS "Linking ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} dynamically against external library ${NAME} (${${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB}).")
         else()
             if(${NAME}_REQUIRED)
                 message(FATAL_ERROR "External library ${NAME} required by ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX} is not available for the specified linkage ${LINKAGE}.")
@@ -77,12 +100,24 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         # add library to list of libraries to be provided as transitive dependencies when building static libraries
         if(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB)
             list(APPEND STATIC_LIBRARIES ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+            message(STATUS "Adding ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} to static library dependencies of ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}.")
+            if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                list(APPEND ADDITIONAL_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                message(STATUS "Adding include path for ${NAME} to static include directories of ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}: ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+            endif()
+
             if(${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} IN_LIST META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_DEPENDS)
                 list(APPEND ${PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PUBLIC_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             else()
                 list(APPEND ${PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES_VARNAME} ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB})
+                if(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR)
+                    list(APPEND PRIVATE_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS ${${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR})
+                endif()
             endif()
-            message(STATUS "Adding ${${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} to static library dependencies of ${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}.")
+
         endif()
     endmacro()
 
@@ -99,11 +134,25 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
     endmacro()
 
     macro(find_external_library NAME LINKAGE REQUIRED)
+        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR NOTFOUND CACHE PATH "${NAME} include dir (dynamic)")
+        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB NOTFOUND CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (dynamic)")
+        set(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR NOTFOUND CACHE PATH "${NAME} include dir (static)")
+        set(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB NOTFOUND CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (static)")
+
         save_default_library_suffixes()
-        configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
-        find_library(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${NAME})
-        configure_static_library_suffixes()
-        find_library(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${NAME})
+
+        if(NOT ${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB)
+            configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
+            find_library(DETECTED_${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${NAME})
+            set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${DETECTED_${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB} CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (dynamic)")
+        endif()
+
+        if(NOT ${NAME}_SHARED_LIB)
+            configure_static_library_suffixes()
+            find_library(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${NAME})
+            set(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${DETECTED_${NAME}_STATIC_LIB} CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (static)")
+        endif()
+
         restore_default_library_suffixes()
     endmacro()
 
@@ -116,21 +165,19 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         # internally used by use_external_library_from_package to find dynamic libraries
         configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
         find_package(${PKGNAME} ${COMPAT_VERSION})
-        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR ${${INCLUDE_VAR}} PARENT_SCOPE)
-        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${${LIBRARY_VAR}} PARENT_SCOPE)
+        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_INCLUDE_DIR ${${INCLUDE_VAR}} CACHE PATH "${NAME} include dir (dynamic)")
+        set(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${${LIBRARY_VAR}} CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (dynamic)")
     endfunction()
 
     function(use_external_library_from_package_static NAME PKGNAME INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR COMPAT_VERSION)
         # internally used by use_external_library_from_package to find static libraries
         configure_static_library_suffixes()
         find_package(${PKGNAME} ${COMPAT_VERSION})
-        set(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR ${${INCLUDE_VAR}} PARENT_SCOPE)
-        set(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${${LIBRARY_VAR}} PARENT_SCOPE)
+        set(${NAME}_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIR ${${INCLUDE_VAR}} CACHE PATH "${NAME} include dir (static)")
+        set(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${${LIBRARY_VAR}} CACHE FILEPATH "${NAME} lib (static)")
     endfunction()
 
     macro(find_external_library_from_package NAME PKGNAME VERSION INCLUDE_VAR LIBRARY_VAR LINKAGE REQUIRED)
-        save_default_library_suffixes()
-
         # handle specified VERSION
         if("${VERSION}" STREQUAL "ANY_VERSION")
             set(${NAME}_COMPATIBLE_VERSION "")
@@ -139,20 +186,17 @@ if(NOT DEFINED THIRD_PARTY_MODULE_LOADED)
         endif()
 
         # use the find_library approach first because it is less buggy when trying to detect static libraries
-        configure_dynamic_library_suffixes()
-        find_library(${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB ${NAME})
-        configure_static_library_suffixes()
-        find_library(${NAME}_STATIC_LIB ${NAME})
+        find_external_library("${NAME}" "${LINKAGE}" OPTIONAL)
 
         # fall back to actual use of find_package
         # use separate functions to get a new scope
+        save_default_library_suffixes()
         if(NOT ${NAME}_DYNAMIC_LIB)
             use_external_library_from_package_dynamic(${NAME} ${PKGNAME} ${INCLUDE_VAR} "${LIBRARY_VAR}" "${${NAME}_COMPATIBLE_VERSION}")
         endif()
         if(NOT ${NAME}_STATIC_LIB)
             use_external_library_from_package_static(${NAME} ${PKGNAME} ${INCLUDE_VAR} "${LIBRARY_VAR}" "${${NAME}_COMPATIBLE_VERSION}")
         endif()
-
         restore_default_library_suffixes()
     endmacro()
 
diff --git a/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake b/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
index 74b890f..a874a9e 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/AppTarget.cmake
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ target_link_libraries(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
     PUBLIC ${ACTUAL_ADDITIONAL_LINK_FLAGS} "${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}"
     PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES}"
 )
+target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
+    PUBLIC "${PUBLIC_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+    PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+)
 target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
     PUBLIC "${META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
     PRIVATE "${META_PRIVATE_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
diff --git a/cmake/modules/LibraryTarget.cmake b/cmake/modules/LibraryTarget.cmake
index ea1939c..ef2dcca 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/LibraryTarget.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/LibraryTarget.cmake
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
         target_link_libraries(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
             INTERFACE ${ACTUAL_ADDITIONAL_LINK_FLAGS} "${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}" "${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES}"
         )
+        target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
+            INTERFACE "${PUBLIC_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}" "${PRIVATE_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+        )
         target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
             INTERFACE "${META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}" "${META_PRIVATE_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
         )
@@ -132,6 +135,10 @@ if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
             PUBLIC ${ACTUAL_ADDITIONAL_LINK_FLAGS} "${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}"
             PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES}"
         )
+        target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
+            PUBLIC "${PUBLIC_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+            PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+        )
         target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}
             PUBLIC "${META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
             PRIVATE "${META_PRIVATE_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
@@ -164,6 +171,9 @@ if(BUILD_STATIC_LIBS)
         target_link_libraries(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_static
             INTERFACE ${ACTUAL_ADDITIONAL_LINK_FLAGS} "${PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES}" "${PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
         )
+        target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_static
+            INTERFACE "${PUBLIC_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}" "${PRIVATE_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+        )
         target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_static
             INTERFACE "${META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}" "${META_PRIVATE_STATIC_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
         )
@@ -176,6 +186,10 @@ if(BUILD_STATIC_LIBS)
             PUBLIC "${PUBLIC_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
             PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
         )
+        target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_static
+            PUBLIC "${PUBLIC_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+            PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_STATIC_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+        )
         target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_static
             PUBLIC "${META_PUBLIC_STATIC_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
             PRIVATE "${META_PRIVATE_STATIC_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
diff --git a/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake b/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
index 9dfba97..5b0c16e 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/TestTarget.cmake
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@ if(CPP_UNIT_LIB OR META_NO_CPP_UNIT)
         PUBLIC ${ACTUAL_ADDITIONAL_LINK_FLAGS} "${PUBLIC_LIBRARIES}"
         PRIVATE "${TEST_LIBRARIES}" "${PRIVATE_LIBRARIES}"
     )
+    target_include_directories(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_tests
+        PUBLIC "${PUBLIC_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+        PRIVATE "${PRIVATE_SHARED_INCLUDE_DIRS}"
+    )
     target_compile_definitions(${TARGET_PREFIX}${META_PROJECT_NAME}${TARGET_SUFFIX}_tests
         PUBLIC "${META_PUBLIC_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"
         PRIVATE "${META_PRIVATE_SHARED_LIB_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}"