diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 72c6613..2a50b23 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ CPMAddPackage(
 )
 
 # add executable
-set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 add_executable(my-project my-project.cpp)
+set_target_properties(my-project PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 17)
 target_link_libraries(my-project LarsParser)
 ```
 
diff --git a/examples/complex/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/complex/CMakeLists.txt
index db9ff7d..b59290f 100644
--- a/examples/complex/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/complex/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ CPMAddPackage(
 )
 
 # add executable
-set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 add_executable(cpm-test-complex main.cpp)
+set_target_properties(cpm-test-complex PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 17)
 target_link_libraries(cpm-test-complex LHC LarsParser Glue)
 
 # tests
diff --git a/examples/simple/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/simple/CMakeLists.txt
index 7eec1e8..7a6238a 100644
--- a/examples/simple/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/simple/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ CPMAddPackage(
 )
 
 # add executable
-set (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 add_executable(cpm-test-simple main.cpp)
+set_target_properties(cpm-test-simple PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 17)
 target_link_libraries(cpm-test-simple LarsParser)
 
 # tests