diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 74cab1ada41..ac674362612 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -509,8 +509,8 @@ list(FILTER P4C_LINT_LIST EXCLUDE REGEX "control-plane/p4runtime")
 # cpplint
 add_cpplint_files(${P4C_SOURCE_DIR} "${P4C_LINT_LIST}")
 
-if(DEFINED CPPLINT_FILES)
-  get_property(TARGET cpplint CPPLINT_FILES PROPERTY cpplint-files)
+get_property(CPPLINT_FILES GLOBAL PROPERTY cpplint-files)
+if(CPPLINT_FILES)
   list ( SORT CPPLINT_FILES )
   set (CPPLINT_CMD ${P4C_SOURCE_DIR}/tools/cpplint.py)
   set (CPPLINT_ARGS --root=${P4C_SOURCE_DIR} --extensions=h,hpp,cpp,ypp,l)
@@ -533,6 +533,7 @@ add_clang_format_files(${P4C_SOURCE_DIR} "${P4C_LINT_LIST}")
 find_program(CLANG_FORMAT_CMD clang-format)
 
 if(NOT ${CLANG_FORMAT_CMD})
+  get_property(CLANG_FORMAT_FILES GLOBAL PROPERTY clang-format-files)
   if(DEFINED CLANG_FORMAT_FILES)
     list(SORT CLANG_FORMAT_FILES)
     set(CLANG_FORMAT_CMD clang-format)
diff --git a/cmake/P4CUtils.cmake b/cmake/P4CUtils.cmake
index 06c9ede603e..42ca8442bfa 100644
--- a/cmake/P4CUtils.cmake
+++ b/cmake/P4CUtils.cmake
@@ -59,34 +59,26 @@ macro(add_cpplint_files dir filelist)
     endif()
   endforeach(__f)
 
-  # Since add_cpplint_files is a macro, we need to check whether the
-  # calling context has a parent. If not, add to the variable directly.
-  get_directory_property(hasParent PARENT_DIRECTORY)
-  if(hasParent)
-    set (CPPLINT_FILES ${CPPLINT_FILES} ${__cpplintFileList} PARENT_SCOPE)
-  else()
-    set (CPPLINT_FILES ${CPPLINT_FILES} ${__cpplintFileList})
-  endif()
+  # Get the global cpplint property and append to it.
+  get_property(CPPLINT_FILES GLOBAL PROPERTY cpplint-files)
+  list (APPEND CPPLINT_FILES "${__cpplintFileList}")
+  set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY cpplint-files "${CPPLINT_FILES}")
 endmacro(add_cpplint_files)
 
 macro(add_clang_format_files dir filelist)
   foreach(__f ${filelist})
     string(REGEX MATCH "^/.*" abs_path "${__f}")
     if (NOT ${abs_path} EQUAL "")
-      list (APPEND __cpplintFileList "${__f}")
+      list (APPEND __clangFormatFileList "${__f}")
     else()
-      list (APPEND __cpplintFileList "${dir}/${__f}")
+      list (APPEND __clangFormatFileList "${dir}/${__f}")
     endif()
   endforeach(__f)
 
-  # Since add_cpplint_files is a macro, we need to check whether the
-  # calling context has a parent. If not, add to the variable directly.
-  get_directory_property(hasParent PARENT_DIRECTORY)
-  if(hasParent)
-    set (CLANG_FORMAT_FILES ${CLANG_FORMAT_FILES} ${__cpplintFileList} PARENT_SCOPE)
-  else()
-    set (CLANG_FORMAT_FILES ${CLANG_FORMAT_FILES} ${__cpplintFileList})
-  endif()
+  # Get the global clang-format property and append to it.
+  get_property(CLANG_FORMAT_FILES GLOBAL PROPERTY clang-format-files)
+  list (APPEND CLANG_FORMAT_FILES "${__clangFormatFileList}")
+  set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY clang-format-files "${CLANG_FORMAT_FILES}")
 endmacro(add_clang_format_files)