diff --git a/cmake/jana_plugin.cmake b/cmake/jana_plugin.cmake
index ea5c0b2ffa..9027209ad6 100644
--- a/cmake/jana_plugin.cmake
+++ b/cmake/jana_plugin.cmake
@@ -130,11 +130,11 @@ endmacro()
 # target_include_directories for both a plugin and a library
 macro(plugin_include_directories _name)
   if(${_name}_WITH_PLUGIN)
-    target_include_directories(${_name}_plugin ${ARGN})
+    target_include_directories(${_name}_plugin BEFORE ${ARGN})
   endif(${_name}_WITH_PLUGIN)
 
   if(${_name}_WITH_LIBRARY)
-    target_include_directories(${_name}_library ${ARGN})
+    target_include_directories(${_name}_library BEFORE ${ARGN})
   endif(${_name}_WITH_LIBRARY)
 endmacro()
 
@@ -288,6 +288,9 @@ macro(plugin_add_acts _name)
   get_filename_component(ActsCore_PATH ${ActsCore_LOCATION} DIRECTORY)
 
   # Add libraries (works same as target_include_directories)
+  plugin_include_directories(
+    ${PLUGIN_NAME} PUBLIC
+    $<TARGET_PROPERTY:ActsCore,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>)
   plugin_link_libraries(
     ${PLUGIN_NAME}
     ActsCore
@@ -376,8 +379,7 @@ macro(plugin_add_fastjet _name)
   endif()
 
   # Add include directories
-  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC
-                             ${FASTJET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} PUBLIC ${FASTJET_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
   # Add libraries
   plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${FASTJET_LIBRARIES})
@@ -392,8 +394,7 @@ macro(plugin_add_fastjettools _name)
   endif()
 
   # Add include directories
-  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC
-                             ${FJTOOLS_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} PUBLIC ${FJTOOLS_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
   # Add libraries
   plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${FJTOOLS_LIBRARIES})
@@ -408,8 +409,7 @@ macro(plugin_add_fastjetcontrib _name)
   endif()
 
   # Add include directories
-  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC
-                             ${FJCONTRIB_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} PUBLIC ${FJCONTRIB_INCLUDE_DIRS})
 
   # Add libraries
   plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${FJCONTRIB_LIBRARIES})
diff --git a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/femc_studies/CMakeLists.txt b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/femc_studies/CMakeLists.txt
index 784be6c6a1..bf5afcd6d5 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/femc_studies/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/femc_studies/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,12 +17,3 @@ plugin_add_acts(${PLUGIN_NAME})
 # correctly sets sources for ${_name}_plugin and ${_name}_library targets Adds
 # headers to the correct installation directory
 plugin_glob_all(${PLUGIN_NAME})
-
-# Add include directories (same as target_include_directories but for both
-# plugin and library)
-plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC ${ROOT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-
-# Add libraries (same as target_include_directories but for both plugin and
-# library)
-plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${ROOT_LIBRARIES} ActsCore
-                      EDM4EIC::edm4eic)
diff --git a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/lfhcal_studies/CMakeLists.txt b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/lfhcal_studies/CMakeLists.txt
index 784be6c6a1..bf5afcd6d5 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/lfhcal_studies/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/lfhcal_studies/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,12 +17,3 @@ plugin_add_acts(${PLUGIN_NAME})
 # correctly sets sources for ${_name}_plugin and ${_name}_library targets Adds
 # headers to the correct installation directory
 plugin_glob_all(${PLUGIN_NAME})
-
-# Add include directories (same as target_include_directories but for both
-# plugin and library)
-plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC ${ROOT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-
-# Add libraries (same as target_include_directories but for both plugin and
-# library)
-plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${ROOT_LIBRARIES} ActsCore
-                      EDM4EIC::edm4eic)
diff --git a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/tracking_occupancy/CMakeLists.txt b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/tracking_occupancy/CMakeLists.txt
index 784be6c6a1..bf5afcd6d5 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/tracking_occupancy/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/benchmarks/reconstruction/tracking_occupancy/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,12 +17,3 @@ plugin_add_acts(${PLUGIN_NAME})
 # correctly sets sources for ${_name}_plugin and ${_name}_library targets Adds
 # headers to the correct installation directory
 plugin_glob_all(${PLUGIN_NAME})
-
-# Add include directories (same as target_include_directories but for both
-# plugin and library)
-plugin_include_directories(${PLUGIN_NAME} SYSTEM PUBLIC ${ROOT_INCLUDE_DIRS})
-
-# Add libraries (same as target_include_directories but for both plugin and
-# library)
-plugin_link_libraries(${PLUGIN_NAME} ${ROOT_LIBRARIES} ActsCore
-                      EDM4EIC::edm4eic)