diff --git a/Ridges_3/examples/Ridges_3/CMakeLists.txt b/Ridges_3/examples/Ridges_3/CMakeLists.txt
index a6cae8ec1ee..00174e7da6d 100644
--- a/Ridges_3/examples/Ridges_3/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Ridges_3/examples/Ridges_3/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ if ( CGAL_FOUND )
   if(EIGEN3_FOUND OR LAPACK_FOUND)
     # Link with Boost.ProgramOptions (optional)
     find_package(Boost QUIET COMPONENTS program_options)
+    if(TARGET Boost::program_options)
+      set(Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_LIBRARY Boost::program_options)
+    endif()
     if(Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_FOUND)
       if( CGAL_AUTO_LINK_ENABLED )
         message( STATUS "Boost.ProgramOptions library: found" )
diff --git a/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/test/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/CMakeLists.txt b/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/test/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/CMakeLists.txt
index 558d8763d8c..d1e9b9c19af 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/test/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/test/Surface_mesh_shortest_path/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ if ( CGAL_FOUND )
   # Link with Boost.ProgramOptions (optional)
   find_package(Boost QUIET COMPONENTS program_options)
   if(Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_FOUND)
+    if(TARGET Boost::program_options)
+      set(Boost_PROGRAM_OPTIONS_LIBRARY Boost::program_options)
+    endif()
     if( CGAL_AUTO_LINK_ENABLED )
       message( STATUS "Boost.ProgramOptions library: found" )
     else()