diff --git a/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.cxx b/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.cxx
index bac243039..6dd8e5c64 100644
--- a/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.cxx
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ bool cmAddExecutableCommand
   bool use_macbundle = false;
   bool excludeFromAll = false;
   bool importTarget = false;
+  bool importGlobal = false;
   while ( s != args.end() )
     {
     if (*s == "WIN32")
@@ -51,6 +52,11 @@ bool cmAddExecutableCommand
      ++s;
      importTarget = true;
      }
+    else if(importTarget && *s == "GLOBAL")
+      {
+      ++s;
+      importGlobal = true;
+      }
     else
       {
       break;
@@ -92,7 +98,8 @@ bool cmAddExecutableCommand
       }
 
     // Create the imported target.
-    this->Makefile->AddImportedTarget(exename.c_str(), cmTarget::EXECUTABLE);
+    this->Makefile->AddImportedTarget(exename.c_str(), cmTarget::EXECUTABLE,
+                                      importGlobal);
     return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.h b/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.h
index f90e82697..6834f5885 100644
--- a/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.h
+++ b/Source/cmAddExecutableCommand.h
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ public:
       "\n"
       "The add_executable command can also create IMPORTED executable "
       "targets using this signature:\n"
-      "  add_executable(<name> IMPORTED)\n"
+      "  add_executable(<name> IMPORTED [GLOBAL])\n"
       "An IMPORTED executable target references an executable file located "
       "outside the project.  "
       "No rules are generated to build it.  "
       "The target name has scope in the directory in which it is created "
-      "and below.  "
+      "and below, but the GLOBAL option extends visibility.  "
       "It may be referenced like any target built within the project.  "
       "IMPORTED executables are useful for convenient reference from "
       "commands like add_custom_command.  "
diff --git a/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.cxx b/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.cxx
index efa29e6c9..9a776fbde 100644
--- a/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.cxx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ bool cmAddLibraryCommand
     }
   bool excludeFromAll = false;
   bool importTarget = false;
+  bool importGlobal = false;
 
   std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator s = args.begin();
 
@@ -79,6 +80,11 @@ bool cmAddLibraryCommand
       ++s;
       importTarget = true;
       }
+    else if(importTarget && *s == "GLOBAL")
+      {
+      ++s;
+      importGlobal = true;
+      }
     else
       {
       break;
@@ -124,7 +130,7 @@ bool cmAddLibraryCommand
       }
 
     // Create the imported target.
-    this->Makefile->AddImportedTarget(libName.c_str(), type);
+    this->Makefile->AddImportedTarget(libName.c_str(), type, importGlobal);
     return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.h b/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.h
index 07fbb06ad..edca1bb03 100644
--- a/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.h
+++ b/Source/cmAddLibraryCommand.h
@@ -96,12 +96,13 @@ public:
       "\n"
       "The add_library command can also create IMPORTED library "
       "targets using this signature:\n"
-      "  add_library(<name> <SHARED|STATIC|MODULE|UNKNOWN> IMPORTED)\n"
+      "  add_library(<name> <SHARED|STATIC|MODULE|UNKNOWN> IMPORTED\n"
+      "              [GLOBAL])\n"
       "An IMPORTED library target references a library file located "
       "outside the project.  "
       "No rules are generated to build it.  "
       "The target name has scope in the directory in which it is created "
-      "and below.  "
+      "and below, but the GLOBAL option extends visibility.  "
       "It may be referenced like any target built within the project.  "
       "IMPORTED libraries are useful for convenient reference from "
       "commands like target_link_libraries.  "
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
index 124519ada..8dce05348 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
@@ -1666,6 +1666,11 @@ cmGlobalGenerator::FindTarget(const char* project, const char* name)
       {
       return i->second;
       }
+    i = this->ImportedTargets.find(name);
+    if ( i != this->ImportedTargets.end() )
+      {
+      return i->second;
+      }
     }
   return 0;
 }
@@ -2046,10 +2051,16 @@ cmGlobalGenerator::GetTargetDirectDepends(cmTarget & target)
   return this->TargetDependencies[&target];
 }
 
-void cmGlobalGenerator::AddTarget(cmTargets::value_type &v)
+void cmGlobalGenerator::AddTarget(cmTarget* t)
 {
-  assert(!v.second.IsImported());
-  this->TotalTargets[v.first] = &v.second;
+  if(t->IsImported())
+    {
+    this->ImportedTargets[t->GetName()] = t;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+    this->TotalTargets[t->GetName()] = t;
+    }
 }
 
 void cmGlobalGenerator::SetExternalMakefileProjectGenerator(
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
index ded3345db..1a0e41a0f 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ public:
   std::set<cmStdString> const& GetDirectoryContent(std::string const& dir,
                                                    bool needDisk = true);
 
-  void AddTarget(cmTargets::value_type &v);
+  void AddTarget(cmTarget* t);
 
   virtual const char* GetAllTargetName()         const { return "ALL_BUILD"; }
   virtual const char* GetInstallTargetName()       const { return "INSTALL"; }
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ protected:
 
   // All targets in the entire project.
   std::map<cmStdString,cmTarget *> TotalTargets;
+  std::map<cmStdString,cmTarget *> ImportedTargets;
 
   virtual const char* GetPredefinedTargetsFolder();
   virtual bool UseFolderProperty();
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
index 7939d7322..fdf5b31d1 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
@@ -1937,7 +1937,7 @@ cmMakefile::AddNewTarget(cmTarget::TargetType type, const char* name)
   cmTarget& target = it->second;
   target.SetType(type, name);
   target.SetMakefile(this);
-  this->LocalGenerator->GetGlobalGenerator()->AddTarget(*it);
+  this->LocalGenerator->GetGlobalGenerator()->AddTarget(&it->second);
   return &it->second;
 }
 
@@ -3894,7 +3894,8 @@ void cmMakefile::DefineProperties(cmake *cm)
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget*
-cmMakefile::AddImportedTarget(const char* name, cmTarget::TargetType type)
+cmMakefile::AddImportedTarget(const char* name, cmTarget::TargetType type,
+                              bool global)
 {
   // Create the target.
   cmsys::auto_ptr<cmTarget> target(new cmTarget);
@@ -3904,6 +3905,10 @@ cmMakefile::AddImportedTarget(const char* name, cmTarget::TargetType type)
 
   // Add to the set of available imported targets.
   this->ImportedTargets[name] = target.get();
+  if(global)
+    {
+    this->LocalGenerator->GetGlobalGenerator()->AddTarget(target.get());
+    }
 
   // Transfer ownership to this cmMakefile object.
   this->ImportedTargetsOwned.push_back(target.get());
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.h b/Source/cmMakefile.h
index 123678783..1c46a733b 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.h
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.h
@@ -203,7 +203,8 @@ public:
   void RemoveDefineFlag(const char* definition);
 
   /** Create a new imported target with the name and type given.  */
-  cmTarget* AddImportedTarget(const char* name, cmTarget::TargetType type);
+  cmTarget* AddImportedTarget(const char* name, cmTarget::TargetType type,
+                              bool global);
 
   cmTarget* AddNewTarget(cmTarget::TargetType type, const char* name);
 
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeOnly/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeOnly/CMakeLists.txt
index 20e6a3aba..96b9972aa 100644
--- a/Tests/CMakeOnly/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/CMakeOnly/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,3 +16,5 @@ add_CMakeOnly_test(CheckSymbolExists)
 add_CMakeOnly_test(CheckCXXSymbolExists)
 
 add_CMakeOnly_test(AllFindModules)
+
+add_CMakeOnly_test(TargetScope)
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fa5d8e234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+cmake_minimum_required (VERSION 2.8)
+project(TargetScope NONE)
+
+add_subdirectory(Sub)
+
+if(TARGET SubLibLocal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibLocal visible in top directory")
+endif()
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibGlobal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibGlobal not visible in top directory")
+endif()
+
+add_subdirectory(Sib)
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sib/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sib/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7f6f4e8fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+if(TARGET SubLibLocal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibLocal visible in sibling directory")
+endif()
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibGlobal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibGlobal not visible in sibling directory")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27318f585
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+add_library(SubLibLocal UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+add_library(SubLibGlobal UNKNOWN IMPORTED GLOBAL)
+add_subdirectory(Sub)
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibLocal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibLocal not visible in own directory")
+endif()
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibGlobal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibGlobal not visible in own directory")
+endif()
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/Sub/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/Sub/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a351daadf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CMakeOnly/TargetScope/Sub/Sub/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibLocal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibLocal not visible in subdirectory")
+endif()
+if(NOT TARGET SubLibGlobal)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "SubLibGlobal not visible in subdirectory")
+endif()