diff --git a/src/shell/CMakeLists.txt b/src/shell/CMakeLists.txt
index 30d10f0ab..856444eca 100644
--- a/src/shell/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/shell/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ z3_add_gparams_register_modules_rule(${shell_deps})
 set_target_properties(shell PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME z3)
 target_compile_definitions(shell PRIVATE ${Z3_COMPONENT_CXX_DEFINES})
 target_compile_options(shell PRIVATE ${Z3_COMPONENT_CXX_FLAGS})
-target_include_directories(shell PRIVATE ${Z3_COMPONENT_EXTRA_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+target_include_directories(shell PRIVATE
+  ${Z3_COMPONENT_EXTRA_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+  ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/api
+)
 target_link_libraries(shell PRIVATE ${Z3_DEPENDENT_LIBS})
 z3_add_component_dependencies_to_target(shell ${shell_expanded_deps})
 z3_append_linker_flag_list_to_target(shell ${Z3_DEPENDENT_EXTRA_CXX_LINK_FLAGS})