diff --git a/utils.cmake b/utils.cmake
index c3a76de4..75410d27 100644
--- a/utils.cmake
+++ b/utils.cmake
@@ -6,20 +6,25 @@ include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
 #  Uses: target_activate_cpp14(buildtarget)
 ###################################################
 function(target_activate_cpp14 TARGET)
-    check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++14" COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
-    IF (COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
-        target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -std=c++14)
-    ELSE()
-        check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++1y" COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_PARTIAL_SUPPORT)
-        IF (COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_PARTIAL_SUPPORT)
-            target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -std=c++1y)
-        ELSE()
-            message(FATAL_ERROR "Compiler doesn't support C++14")
-        ENDIF()
-    ENDIF()
-    IF(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
-        target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -stdlib=libc++)
-    ENDIF()
+    if("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER "3.1")
+        set_property(TARGET ${TARGET} PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD 14)
+        set_property(TARGET ${TARGET} PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+    else("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER "3.1")
+        check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++14" COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
+        if (COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
+            target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -std=c++14)
+        else(COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
+            check_cxx_compiler_flag("-std=c++1y" COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_PARTIAL_SUPPORT)
+            if (COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_PARTIAL_SUPPORT)
+                target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -std=c++1y)
+            else()
+                message(FATAL_ERROR "Compiler doesn't support C++14")
+            endif()
+        endif(COMPILER_HAS_CPP14_SUPPORT)
+        if(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
+            target_compile_options(${TARGET} PUBLIC -stdlib=libc++)
+        endif(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
+    endif("${CMAKE_VERSION}" VERSION_GREATER "3.1")
 endfunction(target_activate_cpp14)
 
 #################################################