diff --git a/interface/CMakeLists.txt b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
index 69beddaaaf..ad42dd97cf 100644
--- a/interface/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/interface/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ find_package(GLM REQUIRED)
 target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE ${GLM_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
 find_package(Bullet REQUIRED)
-target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE SYSTEM ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} SYSTEM PRIVATE ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${BULLET_LIBRARIES})
 
 # link required hifi libraries
diff --git a/libraries/entities/CMakeLists.txt b/libraries/entities/CMakeLists.txt
index 944929dba6..e57bcf67fa 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libraries/entities/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC ${GLM_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 add_dependency_external_projects(bullet)
 
 find_package(Bullet REQUIRED)
-target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE SYSTEM ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} SYSTEM PRIVATE ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${BULLET_LIBRARIES})
 
 link_hifi_libraries(avatars shared octree gpu model fbx networking animation)
diff --git a/libraries/physics/CMakeLists.txt b/libraries/physics/CMakeLists.txt
index 9229bbeca7..5e94513da4 100644
--- a/libraries/physics/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libraries/physics/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC ${GLM_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 add_dependency_external_projects(bullet)
 
 find_package(Bullet REQUIRED)
-target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC SYSTEM ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} SYSTEM PRIVATE ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${BULLET_LIBRARIES})
 
 link_hifi_libraries(shared fbx entities)
diff --git a/tests/physics/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/physics/CMakeLists.txt
index 5dd1e270b8..888b158035 100644
--- a/tests/physics/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/physics/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PUBLIC ${GLM_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 add_dependency_external_projects(bullet)
 
 find_package(Bullet REQUIRED)
-target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} PRIVATE SYSTEM ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+target_include_directories(${TARGET_NAME} SYSTEM PRIVATE ${BULLET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 target_link_libraries(${TARGET_NAME} ${BULLET_LIBRARIES})
 
 link_hifi_libraries(shared physics)