diff --git a/ngraph/python/CMakeLists.txt b/ngraph/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 9fea404acb9..cab72bfd137 100644
--- a/ngraph/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ngraph/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ file(GLOB_RECURSE SOURCES src/pyngraph/*.cpp)
 pybind11_add_module(_${PROJECT_NAME} MODULE ${SOURCES})
 
 target_include_directories(_${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src")
-target_link_libraries(_${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ngraph::ngraph ngraph::onnx_importer)
+target_link_libraries(_${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE ngraph::ngraph)
+if (TARGET ngraph::onnx_importer)
+    add_dependencies(_${PROJECT_NAME} ngraph::onnx_importer)
+endif()
 
 # perform copy
 if(OpenVINO_MAIN_SOURCE_DIR)