diff --git a/cmake/Modules/OpmCompile.cmake b/cmake/Modules/OpmCompile.cmake
index 412c535e..aeb0ef68 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/OpmCompile.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/OpmCompile.cmake
@@ -38,7 +38,13 @@ macro (opm_compile opm)
   # pre-compile common headers; this is setup *after* the library to pick
   # up extra options set there
   if (PRECOMPILE_HEADERS)
-	get_target_property (_type ${${opm}_TARGET} TYPE)
+	# if we have no library, then use the static setting as this will
+	# build the same way as any test programs (no -fPIC option)
+	if (${opm}_TARGET)
+	  get_target_property (_type ${${opm}_TARGET} TYPE)
+	else ()
+	  set (_type "STATIC")
+	endif ()
 	precompile_header (CXX ${_type}
 	  HEADER "${${opm}_PRECOMP_CXX_HEADER}"
 	  TARGET ${opm}_CXX_pch
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/OpmLibMain.cmake b/cmake/Modules/OpmLibMain.cmake
index 5dcf193d..f902bc16 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/OpmLibMain.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/OpmLibMain.cmake
@@ -225,7 +225,9 @@ opm_doc (${project} ${doxy_dir})
 # provide compatibility with using this build in dunecontrol
 include (DuneCompat)
 include (LibtoolArchives)
-configure_la (${project} ${${project}_TARGET} ${project}_LIBTOOL_ARCHIVE)
+if (${project}_TARGET)
+	configure_la (${project} ${${project}_TARGET} ${project}_LIBTOOL_ARCHIVE)
+endif ()
 
 ### clean in-source builds ###
 include (OpmDistClean)
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/UseVersion.cmake b/cmake/Modules/UseVersion.cmake
index 3f0d9808..b77c5aac 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/UseVersion.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/UseVersion.cmake
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ else ()
 	# the target above gets built every time thanks to the "ALL" modifier,
 	# but it must also be done before the main library so it can pick up
 	# any changes it does.
-	add_dependencies (${${project}_TARGET} update-version)
+	if (${project}_TARGET)
+	  add_dependencies (${${project}_TARGET} update-version)
+	endif ()
   endif ()
 endif ()