diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a717a508f..622958dde 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -118,15 +118,40 @@ llama_option_depr(WARNING     LLAMA_SYCL_F16            GGML_SYCL_F16)
 llama_option_depr(WARNING     LLAMA_CANN                GGML_CANN)
 
 #
-# build the library
+# 3rd party
 #
 
 if (NOT TARGET ggml)
     add_subdirectory(ggml)
     # ... otherwise assume ggml is added by a parent CMakeLists.txt
 endif()
+
+#
+# build the library
+#
+
+llama_add_compile_flags() # llama-only flags
+
 add_subdirectory(src)
 
+#
+# utils, programs, examples and tests
+#
+
+if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON)
+    add_subdirectory(common)
+endif()
+
+if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON AND LLAMA_BUILD_TESTS AND NOT CMAKE_JS_VERSION)
+    include(CTest)
+    add_subdirectory(tests)
+endif()
+
+if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON AND LLAMA_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
+    add_subdirectory(examples)
+    add_subdirectory(pocs)
+endif()
+
 #
 # install
 #
@@ -200,21 +225,3 @@ configure_file(cmake/llama.pc.in
 
 install(FILES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/llama.pc"
         DESTINATION lib/pkgconfig)
-
-#
-# utils, programs, examples and tests
-#
-
-if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON)
-    add_subdirectory(common)
-endif()
-
-if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON AND LLAMA_BUILD_TESTS AND NOT CMAKE_JS_VERSION)
-    include(CTest)
-    add_subdirectory(tests)
-endif()
-
-if (LLAMA_BUILD_COMMON AND LLAMA_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
-    add_subdirectory(examples)
-    add_subdirectory(pocs)
-endif()
diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index df1cdf9a5..01c00e277 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 
-llama_add_compile_flags()
-
 # Build info header
 #
 
diff --git a/examples/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
index 66cfab2c3..f8395b59f 100644
--- a/examples/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
 
 # flags
 
-llama_add_compile_flags()
+# ...
 
 # examples
 
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index aeb75bf3e..ea9fbd870 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-llama_add_compile_flags()
-
 #
 # libraries
 #
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 3fa43c295..2b5e5fd4a 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-llama_add_compile_flags()
-
 function(llama_test target)
     include(CMakeParseArguments)
     set(options)