diff --git a/src/libs/3rdparty/syntax-highlighting/CMakeLists.txt b/src/libs/3rdparty/syntax-highlighting/CMakeLists.txt
index 062ae058c31..8aadf8525f3 100644
--- a/src/libs/3rdparty/syntax-highlighting/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/libs/3rdparty/syntax-highlighting/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -44,13 +44,15 @@ add_qtc_library(KSyntaxHighlighting SHARED
 )
 qtc_add_public_header(autogenerated/src/lib/State)
 
-install(
-  DIRECTORY data/syntax
-  DESTINATION "${IDE_DATA_PATH}/generic-highlighter/"
-)
+if(TARGET KSyntaxHighlighting)
+  install(
+    DIRECTORY data/syntax
+    DESTINATION "${IDE_DATA_PATH}/generic-highlighter/"
+  )
 
-# copy resource directories during build
-qtc_copy_to_builddir(copy_generic_highligher_to_builddir
-  DIRECTORIES data/syntax
-  DESTINATION "${IDE_DATA_PATH}/generic-highlighter/syntax"
-)
+  # copy resource directories during build
+  qtc_copy_to_builddir(copy_generic_highligher_to_builddir
+    DIRECTORIES data/syntax
+    DESTINATION "${IDE_DATA_PATH}/generic-highlighter/syntax"
+  )
+endif()