diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 1499775b..43a6201d 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ project(googletest-distribution
   LANGUAGES CXX
 )
 
+if(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} STREQUAL ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+  set(PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL TRUE)
+endif()
+
 if(NOT CYGWIN AND NOT MSYS AND NOT ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} STREQUAL QNX)
   set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
 endif()
@@ -22,7 +26,7 @@ include(GNUInstallDirs)
 
 # Note that googlemock target already builds googletest.
 option(BUILD_GMOCK "Builds the googlemock subproject" ON)
-option(INSTALL_GTEST "Enable installation of googletest. (Projects embedding googletest may want to turn this OFF.)" ON)
+option(INSTALL_GTEST "Enable installation of googletest. (Projects embedding googletest may want to turn this OFF.)" ${PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL})
 option(GTEST_HAS_ABSL "Use Abseil and RE2. Requires Abseil and RE2 to be separately added to the build." OFF)
 
 if(GTEST_HAS_ABSL)
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ else()
   add_subdirectory( googletest )
 endif()
 
-if(INSTALL_GTEST)
+if(PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL)
   set(CPACK_PACKAGE_NAME "GTest") # same as the name in `find_package`
   set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR "Google")
   set(CPACK_GENERATOR "TGZ")