diff --git a/Source/cmIDEOptions.cxx b/Source/cmIDEOptions.cxx
index c6c0e0531c..8d07776b73 100644
--- a/Source/cmIDEOptions.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmIDEOptions.cxx
@@ -148,6 +148,11 @@ void cmIDEOptions::AddDefines(const std::vector<std::string>& defines)
   this->Defines.insert(this->Defines.end(), defines.begin(), defines.end());
 }
 
+std::vector<std::string> const& cmIDEOptions::GetDefines() const
+{
+  return this->Defines;
+}
+
 void cmIDEOptions::AddFlag(const char* flag, const char* value)
 {
   this->FlagMap[flag] = value;
diff --git a/Source/cmIDEOptions.h b/Source/cmIDEOptions.h
index a0696e1250..be2fd6da8c 100644
--- a/Source/cmIDEOptions.h
+++ b/Source/cmIDEOptions.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ public:
   void AddDefine(const std::string& define);
   void AddDefines(const char* defines);
   void AddDefines(const std::vector<std::string>& defines);
+  std::vector<std::string> const& GetDefines() const;
+
   void AddFlag(const char* flag, const char* value);
   void AddFlag(const char* flag, std::vector<std::string> const& value);
   void AppendFlag(std::string const& flag, std::string const& value);