diff --git a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvdef.h b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvdef.h
index 9805d96100..c42517f545 100644
--- a/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvdef.h
+++ b/modules/core/include/opencv2/core/cvdef.h
@@ -371,10 +371,10 @@ Cv64suf;
 #  define OPENCV_DISABLE_DEPRECATED_COMPATIBILITY
 #endif
 
-#ifdef CVAPI_EXPORTS
-# if (defined _WIN32 || defined WINCE || defined __CYGWIN__)
+#ifndef CV_EXPORTS
+# if (defined _WIN32 || defined WINCE || defined __CYGWIN__) && defined(CVAPI_EXPORTS)
 #   define CV_EXPORTS __declspec(dllexport)
-# elif defined __GNUC__ && __GNUC__ >= 4
+# elif defined __GNUC__ && __GNUC__ >= 4 && (defined(CVAPI_EXPORTS) || defined(__APPLE__))
 #   define CV_EXPORTS __attribute__ ((visibility ("default")))
 # endif
 #endif