diff --git a/libdap-cuttdb/CMakeLists.txt b/libdap-cuttdb/CMakeLists.txt
index 4f309c1aba24d0fcb18a0f2658084ee0312894f6..f9d44ce68bbead75f8f7298c26aae71639aed92b 100644
--- a/libdap-cuttdb/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libdap-cuttdb/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ endif()
 
 add_library(${PROJECT_NAME} STATIC ${cuttdb_h} ${cuttdb_src})
 
+set_target_properties(dap_cuttdb PROPERTIES LINKER_LANGUAGE C)
+
 target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} -lpthread)
 
 target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} INTERFACE src)
-