diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c1eee6ad5..f90f6ee04 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ cmake_dependent_option(YAML_CPP_BUILD_TESTS
   "Enable yaml-cpp tests" OFF
   "BUILD_TESTING;YAML_CPP_MAIN_PROJECT" OFF)
 cmake_dependent_option(YAML_MSVC_SHARED_RT
-  "MSVC: Build yaml-cpp with shared runtime libs (/MD)" ON
+  "MSVC: Build yaml-cpp with shared runtime libs (/MD). When building a static library, leave OFF for /MT to match statically-linked apps."
+  ${YAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}
   "CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES Windows" OFF)
 set(YAML_CPP_INSTALL_CMAKEDIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/cmake/yaml-cpp"
   CACHE STRING "Path to install the CMake package to")
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fb46a1713..f8a92d7c7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ cmake [-G generator] [-DYAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=on|OFF] ..
 
   * `yaml-cpp` builds a static library by default, you may want to build a shared library by specifying `-DYAML_BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON`.
 
+ * On Windows with MSVC, static builds default to the static CRT (`/MT`) so yaml-cpp can link into
+ statically-linked applications (e.g. static MFC). Set `-DYAML_MSVC_SHARED_RT=ON` if you need
+ the dynamic CRT (`/MD`) instead. When using CMake, link the `yaml-cpp::yaml-cpp` imported target
+ (e.g. `target_link_libraries(your_target PRIVATE yaml-cpp::yaml-cpp)`), which sets the needed
+ defines automatically. If you are not using CMake, define `YAML_CPP_STATIC_DEFINE` for your
+ target when linking the static library.
+
   * [Debug mode of the GNU standard C++
     library](https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/libstdc++/manual/debug_mode.html)
     can be used when both `yaml-cpp` and client code is compiled with the
diff --git a/test/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/test/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 2ee23679b..961b7ce81 100644
--- a/test/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,4 +18,13 @@ add_executable(main main.cpp)
 if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
   set_target_properties(main PROPERTIES CXX_STANDARD 11)
 endif()
+if(MSVC)
+  if(YAML_CPP_SHARED_LIBS_BUILT)
+    set_property(TARGET main PROPERTY MSVC_RUNTIME_LIBRARY
+      MultiThreaded$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:Debug>DLL)
+  else()
+    set_property(TARGET main PROPERTY MSVC_RUNTIME_LIBRARY
+      MultiThreaded$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:Debug>)
+  endif()
+endif()
 target_link_libraries(main PRIVATE ${YAML_CPP_LIBRARIES})