diff --git a/external/qt/CMakeLists.txt b/external/qt/CMakeLists.txt
index 2ab2b3d..c478209 100644
--- a/external/qt/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/external/qt/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -260,6 +260,7 @@ else()
         $<TARGET_FILE:desktop-app::external_openssl_crypto>
         desktop-app::external_jpeg
         desktop-app::external_zlib
+        $<TARGET_FILE:desktop-app::external_zlib>
     )
 
     if (LINUX)
@@ -288,7 +289,6 @@ else()
             xcb-util
             xcb-render-util
             xcb-keysyms
-            z
         )
         if (NOT DESKTOP_APP_DISABLE_WAYLAND_INTEGRATION)
             target_link_libraries(external_qt
diff --git a/external/qt/qt6/CMakeLists.txt b/external/qt/qt6/CMakeLists.txt
index 9067e66..e261e6a 100644
--- a/external/qt/qt6/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/external/qt/qt6/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ else()
         $<TARGET_FILE:desktop-app::external_openssl_crypto>
         desktop-app::external_jpeg
         desktop-app::external_zlib
+        $<TARGET_FILE:desktop-app::external_zlib>
     )
 
     if (LINUX)
@@ -263,7 +264,6 @@ else()
             xcb-util
             xcb-render-util
             xcb-keysyms
-            z
         )
         if (NOT DESKTOP_APP_DISABLE_WAYLAND_INTEGRATION)
             target_link_libraries(external_qt
diff --git a/external/zlib/CMakeLists.txt b/external/zlib/CMakeLists.txt
index 15d3b41..af6b090 100644
--- a/external/zlib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/external/zlib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -4,13 +4,19 @@
 # For license and copyright information please follow this link:
 # https://github.com/desktop-app/legal/blob/master/LEGAL
 
-add_library(external_zlib INTERFACE IMPORTED GLOBAL)
-add_library(desktop-app::external_zlib ALIAS external_zlib)
-
 if (DESKTOP_APP_USE_PACKAGED)
+    add_library(external_zlib INTERFACE IMPORTED GLOBAL)
+    add_library(desktop-app::external_zlib ALIAS external_zlib)
+
     find_package(ZLIB REQUIRED)
     target_link_libraries(external_zlib INTERFACE ZLIB::ZLIB)
-elseif (WIN32)
+    return()
+endif()
+
+add_library(external_zlib STATIC IMPORTED GLOBAL)
+add_library(desktop-app::external_zlib ALIAS external_zlib)
+
+if (WIN32)
     target_compile_definitions(external_zlib INTERFACE ZLIB_WINAPI)
     target_include_directories(external_zlib SYSTEM INTERFACE ${libs_loc}/zlib)
     if (build_win64)
@@ -18,10 +24,18 @@ elseif (WIN32)
     else()
         set(zlib_config_folder x86)
     endif()
-    set(zlib_lib_loc ${libs_loc}/zlib/contrib/vstudio/vc14/${zlib_config_folder}/ZlibStat$<IF:$<CONFIG:Debug>,Debug,ReleaseWithoutAsm>)
-    target_link_libraries(external_zlib INTERFACE ${zlib_lib_loc}/zlibstat.lib)
+    set(zlib_lib_loc ${libs_loc}/zlib/contrib/vstudio/vc14/${zlib_config_folder})
+    set_target_properties(external_zlib PROPERTIES
+        IMPORTED_LOCATION "${zlib_lib_loc}/ZlibStatReleaseWitoutAsm/zlibstat.lib"
+        IMPORTED_LOCATION_DEBUG "${zlib_lib_loc}/ZlibStatDebug/zlibstat.lib"
+    )
 elseif (APPLE)
-    target_link_libraries(external_zlib INTERFACE ${libs_loc}/local/lib/libz.a)
+    set_target_properties(external_zlib PROPERTIES
+        IMPORTED_LOCATION ${libs_loc}/local/lib/libz.a
+    )
 else()
-    target_link_static_libraries(external_zlib INTERFACE z)
+    find_library(ZLIB_LIBRARY libz.a REQUIRED)
+    set_target_properties(external_zlib PROPERTIES
+        IMPORTED_LOCATION "${ZLIB_LIBRARY}"
+    )
 endif()