diff --git a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
index 287066ae6a..ee1b60a83e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGeneratorExpressionEvaluator.cxx
@@ -277,8 +277,12 @@ static const struct TargetPropertyNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
           "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:...> expression requires one or two parameters");
       return std::string();
       }
-    cmsys::RegularExpression nameValidator;
-    nameValidator.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+$");
+    cmsys::RegularExpression targetNameValidator;
+    // The ':' is supported to allow use with IMPORTED targets. At least
+    // Qt 4 and 5 IMPORTED targets use ':' as the namespace delimiter.
+    targetNameValidator.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9_.:-]+$");
+    cmsys::RegularExpression propertyNameValidator;
+    propertyNameValidator.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9_]+$");
 
     cmGeneratorTarget* target = context->Target;
     std::string propertyName = *parameters.begin();
@@ -301,9 +305,9 @@ static const struct TargetPropertyNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
 
       std::string targetName = parameters.front();
       propertyName = parameters[1];
-      if (!nameValidator.find(targetName.c_str()))
+      if (!targetNameValidator.find(targetName.c_str()))
         {
-        if (!nameValidator.find(propertyName.c_str()))
+        if (!propertyNameValidator.find(propertyName.c_str()))
           {
           ::reportError(context, content->GetOriginalExpression(),
                         "Target name and property name not supported.");
@@ -335,7 +339,7 @@ static const struct TargetPropertyNode : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
       return std::string();
       }
 
-    if (!nameValidator.find(propertyName.c_str()))
+    if (!propertyNameValidator.find(propertyName.c_str()))
       {
       ::reportError(context, content->GetOriginalExpression(),
                     "Property name not supported.");
@@ -480,7 +484,8 @@ struct TargetFilesystemArtifact : public cmGeneratorExpressionNode
     std::string name = *parameters.begin();
 
     cmsys::RegularExpression targetValidator;
-    targetValidator.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9_.-]+$");
+    // The ':' is supported to allow use with IMPORTED targets.
+    targetValidator.compile("^[A-Za-z0-9_.:-]+$");
     if (!targetValidator.find(name.c_str()))
       {
       ::reportError(context, content->GetOriginalExpression(),
diff --git a/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/CMakeLists.txt
index d71f92e1b6..7cb1b42e0c 100644
--- a/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ create_header(bing)
 create_header(bung)
 create_header(arguments)
 create_header(list)
+create_header(target)
 
 set(CMAKE_INCLUDE_CURRENT_DIR ON)
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ include_directories("${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bar")
 include_directories("$<1:${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bang>")
 
 add_executable(TargetIncludeDirectories main.cpp)
+
 set_property(TARGET TargetIncludeDirectories APPEND PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bat")
 set_property(TARGET TargetIncludeDirectories APPEND PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/foo")
 set_property(TARGET TargetIncludeDirectories APPEND PROPERTY
@@ -34,3 +36,12 @@ include_directories("$<1:${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/bung>")
 include_directories("sing$<1:/ting>")
 
 include_directories("$<1:${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/arguments;${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/list>")
+
+add_library(somelib::withcolons UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+set_property(TARGET somelib::withcolons PROPERTY IMPORTED_LOCATION "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/target")
+set_property(TARGET somelib::withcolons PROPERTY INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/target")
+
+set_property(TARGET TargetIncludeDirectories
+  APPEND PROPERTY INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES
+  "$<TARGET_PROPERTY:somelib::withcolons,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>"
+)
diff --git a/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/main.cpp b/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/main.cpp
index 030bb1cf99..90909d334b 100644
--- a/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/main.cpp
+++ b/Tests/IncludeDirectories/TargetIncludeDirectories/main.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "ting.h"
 #include "arguments.h"
 #include "list.h"
+#include "target.h"
 
 int main(int, char**)
 {