diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 2de67385..285d0ed5 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -408,6 +408,12 @@ add_custom_command(
         ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy geary ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/
 )
 
+# GSettings
+# This needs to be here and not in client/CMakeLists.txt in order for Geary to run in the build
+# directory
+include(GSettings)
+add_schemas(geary ${GSETTINGS_DIR})
+
 add_subdirectory(client)
 
 # Console app
diff --git a/src/client/CMakeLists.txt b/src/client/CMakeLists.txt
index 604e1581..6136713f 100644
--- a/src/client/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/client/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ install(
         share/applications
 )
 
-# GSettings
-include(GSettings)
-add_schemas(geary ${GSETTINGS_DIR})
-
 # Optional: run update-desktop-database at install time.
 # (This has to happen after the geary.desktop file is installed.)
 if (DESKTOP_UPDATE)