diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 05c9ff6e8c..a48d606227 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -222,6 +222,10 @@ endif()
 add_executable(lmp ${MAIN_SOURCES})
 target_link_libraries(lmp PRIVATE lammps)
 set_target_properties(lmp PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME ${LAMMPS_BINARY})
+# re-export all symbols for plugins
+if(PKG_PLUGIN)
+  set_target_properties(lmp PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS "-rdynamic")
+endif()
 install(TARGETS lmp EXPORT LAMMPS_Targets DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
 
 option(CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE "Generate verbose Makefiles" OFF)
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/LAMMPSInterfacePlugin.cmake b/cmake/Modules/LAMMPSInterfacePlugin.cmake
index 23792a0cb2..151e0a04f7 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/LAMMPSInterfacePlugin.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/LAMMPSInterfacePlugin.cmake
@@ -105,15 +105,6 @@ add_library(lammps INTERFACE)
 target_include_directories(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR})
 if((CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows") AND CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
   target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.dll.a)
-else()
-  # make a best guess where the static lammps library could be
-  if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.a)
-  elseif(EXISTS ${LAMMPS_HEADER_DIR}/liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_HEADER_DIR}/liblammps.a)
-  elseif(EXISTS ${LAMMPS_HEADER_DIR}/../build/liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_HEADER_DIR}/../build/liblammps.a)
-  endif()
 endif()
 
 ################################################################################
diff --git a/examples/plugins/LAMMPSInterfaceCXX.cmake b/examples/plugins/LAMMPSInterfaceCXX.cmake
index 9cec639cbc..d1f8faec22 100644
--- a/examples/plugins/LAMMPSInterfaceCXX.cmake
+++ b/examples/plugins/LAMMPSInterfaceCXX.cmake
@@ -29,15 +29,6 @@ add_library(lammps INTERFACE)
 target_include_directories(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_HEADER_DIR})
 if((CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows") AND CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
   target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.dll.a)
-else()
-  # make a best guess where the static lammps library could be
-  if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../liblammps.a)
-  elseif(EXISTS ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/liblammps.a)
-  elseif(EXISTS ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/../build/liblammps.a)
-    target_link_libraries(lammps INTERFACE ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/../build/liblammps.a)
-  endif()
 endif()
 
 ################################################################################