diff --git a/Source/cmCommonTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmCommonTargetGenerator.cxx
index 131b490d6..b893dd3ab 100644
--- a/Source/cmCommonTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCommonTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -246,19 +246,11 @@ std::string cmCommonTargetGenerator::GetDefines(const std::string& l)
   ByLanguageMap::iterator i = this->DefinesByLanguage.find(l);
   if (i == this->DefinesByLanguage.end()) {
     std::set<std::string> defines;
-    const char* lang = l.c_str();
-    // Add the export symbol definition for shared library objects.
-    if (const char* exportMacro = this->GeneratorTarget->GetExportMacro()) {
-      this->LocalGenerator->AppendDefines(defines, exportMacro);
-    }
-
-    // Add preprocessor definitions for this target and configuration.
-    this->LocalGenerator->AddCompileDefinitions(
-      defines, this->GeneratorTarget, this->LocalGenerator->GetConfigName(),
-      l);
+    this->LocalGenerator->GetTargetDefines(this->GeneratorTarget,
+                                           this->ConfigName, l, defines);
 
     std::string definesString;
-    this->LocalGenerator->JoinDefines(defines, definesString, lang);
+    this->LocalGenerator->JoinDefines(defines, definesString, l);
 
     ByLanguageMap::value_type entry(l, definesString);
     i = this->DefinesByLanguage.insert(entry).first;
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
index 3f957f06f..2ccaa82fe 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.cxx
@@ -1329,6 +1329,20 @@ std::string cmLocalGenerator::GetFrameworkFlags(std::string const& l,
   return ::GetFrameworkFlags(l, config, target);
 }
 
+void cmLocalGenerator::GetTargetDefines(cmGeneratorTarget const* target,
+                                        std::string const& config,
+                                        std::string const& lang,
+                                        std::set<std::string>& defines) const
+{
+  // Add the export symbol definition for shared library objects.
+  if (const char* exportMacro = target->GetExportMacro()) {
+    this->AppendDefines(defines, exportMacro);
+  }
+
+  // Add preprocessor definitions for this target and configuration.
+  this->AddCompileDefinitions(defines, target, config, lang.c_str());
+}
+
 std::string cmLocalGenerator::ConvertToLinkReference(std::string const& lib,
                                                      OutputFormat format)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
index ad77c1fcf..55b8794c9 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmLocalGenerator.h
@@ -314,6 +314,9 @@ public:
                       std::string& flags, std::string& linkFlags,
                       std::string& frameworkPath, std::string& linkPath,
                       cmGeneratorTarget* target, bool useWatcomQuote);
+  void GetTargetDefines(cmGeneratorTarget const* target,
+                        std::string const& config, std::string const& lang,
+                        std::set<std::string>& defines) const;
 
   std::string GetFrameworkFlags(std::string const& l,
                                 std::string const& config,