diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5a90c06f68..b313320f39 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -42,17 +42,6 @@ execute_process(
     OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
     ERROR_QUIET
 )
-add_definitions(-DOPENRCT2_BRANCH="${OPENRCT2_BRANCH}")
-
-# Define commit hash
-execute_process(
-    COMMAND git rev-parse HEAD
-    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${ROOT_DIR}
-    OUTPUT_VARIABLE OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1
-    OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
-    ERROR_QUIET
-)
-add_definitions(-DOPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1="${OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1}")
 
 # Define short commit hash
 execute_process(
@@ -63,11 +52,6 @@ execute_process(
     ERROR_QUIET
 )
 
-# Tagged builds are not meant to display commit info
-if (NOT OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT STREQUAL "HEAD")
-    add_definitions(-DOPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT="${OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT}")
-endif()
-
 function (ADD_CHECK_C_COMPILER_FLAG _CFLAGS _CACHE_VAR _FLAG)
     CHECK_C_COMPILER_FLAG("${_FLAG}" "${_CACHE_VAR}")
     if (${_CACHE_VAR})
diff --git a/src/openrct2/CMakeLists.txt b/src/openrct2/CMakeLists.txt
index ee048631b3..9894a9d617 100644
--- a/src/openrct2/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/openrct2/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -280,3 +280,15 @@ if (CXX_WARN_SUGGEST_FINAL_METHODS)
     # Disable -Wsuggest-final-methods via pragmas where due.
    add_definitions(-D__WARN_SUGGEST_FINAL_METHODS__)
 endif ()
+
+# To avoid unnecessary rebuilds set the current branch and
+# short sha1 only for the two files that use these
+# definitions: Version.cpp and Crash/Platform.cpp
+set_property(SOURCE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/Version.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/Crash/Platform.cpp PROPERTY
+    COMPILE_DEFINITIONS OPENRCT2_BRANCH="${OPENRCT2_BRANCH}")
+if (NOT OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT STREQUAL "HEAD")
+    set_property(SOURCE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/Version.cpp
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/Crash/Platform.cpp PROPERTY
+    COMPILE_DEFINITIONS OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT="${OPENRCT2_COMMIT_SHA1_SHORT}")
+endif()