diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7aae816c4b..666c9079c9 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -555,10 +555,11 @@ add_custom_command(
     -DOUT_FILE=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated/version.h
     -DVERSION_TYPE=KERNEL
     -DVERSION_FILE=${ZEPHYR_BASE}/VERSION
-    -DKERNEL_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION="${KERNEL_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION}"
+    -DKERNEL_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION="$<TARGET_PROPERTY:version_h,KERNEL_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION>"
     ${build_version_argument}
     -P ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/cmake/gen_version_h.cmake
   DEPENDS ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/VERSION ${git_dependency}
+  COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS
 )
 add_custom_target(version_h DEPENDS ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated/version.h)
 
@@ -569,10 +570,11 @@ if(EXISTS ${APPLICATION_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION)
       -DOUT_FILE=${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated/app_version.h
       -DVERSION_TYPE=APP
       -DVERSION_FILE=${APPLICATION_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION
-      -DAPP_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION="${APP_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION}"
+      -DAPP_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION="$<TARGET_PROPERTY:app_version_h,APP_VERSION_CUSTOMIZATION>"
       ${build_version_argument}
       -P ${ZEPHYR_BASE}/cmake/gen_version_h.cmake
     DEPENDS ${APPLICATION_SOURCE_DIR}/VERSION ${git_dependency}
+    COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS
   )
   add_custom_target(app_version_h DEPENDS ${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/include/generated/app_version.h)
   add_dependencies(zephyr_interface app_version_h)