diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index bc0057768..9b0f054ee 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ find_package(OpenSSL 1.0.0 REQUIRED)
 find_package(CURL 7.29 REQUIRED)
 find_package(Criterion)
 
+set(SPDLOG_BUILD_EXAMPLES OFF)
+set(SPDLOG_BUILD_TESTING OFF)
+set(SPDLOG_BUILD_BENCH OFF)
+add_subdirectory(thirdparty/spdlog)
 
 pkg_check_modules(JANSSON IMPORTED_TARGET REQUIRED jansson>=2.7)
 pkg_check_modules(LIBCONFIG IMPORTED_TARGET libconfig>=1.4.9)
diff --git a/common/lib/CMakeLists.txt b/common/lib/CMakeLists.txt
index 8cbbb2539..c87964d23 100644
--- a/common/lib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/lib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ target_include_directories(villas-common PUBLIC
 	${CURL_INCLUDE_DIRS}
 	${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include
 	${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
-	${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/thirdparty/spdlog/include
 )
 
 target_link_libraries(villas-common PUBLIC
@@ -66,6 +65,7 @@ target_link_libraries(villas-common PUBLIC
 	${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES}
 	${CURL_LIBRARIES}
 	${CMAKE_DL_LIBS}
+	spdlog
 )
 
 target_compile_definitions(villas-common PUBLIC