diff --git a/examples/apps/cli/ftd.cmake b/examples/apps/cli/ftd.cmake
index b5bd7533a..5a55455cc 100644
--- a/examples/apps/cli/ftd.cmake
+++ b/examples/apps/cli/ftd.cmake
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-cli-ftd PRIVATE
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-ftd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     ot-config
 )
 
diff --git a/examples/apps/cli/mtd.cmake b/examples/apps/cli/mtd.cmake
index 0186760bf..45b8923fe 100644
--- a/examples/apps/cli/mtd.cmake
+++ b/examples/apps/cli/mtd.cmake
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-cli-mtd PRIVATE
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-mtd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     ot-config
 )
 
diff --git a/examples/apps/ncp/ftd.cmake b/examples/apps/ncp/ftd.cmake
index 61afb274f..d822b4a4a 100644
--- a/examples/apps/ncp/ftd.cmake
+++ b/examples/apps/ncp/ftd.cmake
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-ncp-ftd PRIVATE
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-ftd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     ot-config
 )
 
diff --git a/examples/apps/ncp/mtd.cmake b/examples/apps/ncp/mtd.cmake
index 7566e68d5..2cb9faddc 100644
--- a/examples/apps/ncp/mtd.cmake
+++ b/examples/apps/ncp/mtd.cmake
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-ncp-mtd PRIVATE
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-mtd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     ot-config
 )
 
diff --git a/src/posix/cli.cmake b/src/posix/cli.cmake
index 811be2989..eef034e34 100644
--- a/src/posix/cli.cmake
+++ b/src/posix/cli.cmake
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-cli
     openthread-cli-ftd
     openthread-hdlc
     openthread-spinel-rcp
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     ${READLINE_LINK_LIBRARIES}
 )
 
diff --git a/src/posix/daemon.cmake b/src/posix/daemon.cmake
index 3efe92294..6eceddd53 100644
--- a/src/posix/daemon.cmake
+++ b/src/posix/daemon.cmake
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-daemon PRIVATE
     openthread-ftd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-ncp-ftd
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
 )
 
 add_executable(ot-ctl
diff --git a/src/posix/ncp.cmake b/src/posix/ncp.cmake
index b18563103..651b80b34 100644
--- a/src/posix/ncp.cmake
+++ b/src/posix/ncp.cmake
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ target_link_libraries(ot-ncp
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
     openthread-ftd
     ${OT_PLATFORM_LIB}
-    mbedcrypto
+    ${OT_MBEDTLS}
     openthread-ncp-ftd
 )