diff --git a/cmake/install.cmake b/cmake/install.cmake
index 533c64ff29..90230c537e 100644
--- a/cmake/install.cmake
+++ b/cmake/install.cmake
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ configure_file(${protobuf_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/protobuf-module.cmake.in
   ${CMAKE_BUILD_CMAKEDIR}/protobuf-module.cmake @ONLY)
 configure_file(${protobuf_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/protobuf-options.cmake
   ${CMAKE_BUILD_CMAKEDIR}/protobuf-options.cmake @ONLY)
+configure_file(${protobuf_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/protobuf-generate.cmake
+  ${CMAKE_BUILD_CMAKEDIR}/protobuf-generate.cmake @ONLY)
 
 # Allows the build directory to be used as a find directory.
 
diff --git a/cmake/protobuf-config.cmake.in b/cmake/protobuf-config.cmake.in
index 3c0ec7527b..1a8d243a74 100644
--- a/cmake/protobuf-config.cmake.in
+++ b/cmake/protobuf-config.cmake.in
@@ -8,161 +8,8 @@ include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf-options.cmake")
 # Imported targets
 include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf-targets.cmake")
 
-function(protobuf_generate)
-  include(CMakeParseArguments)
-
-  set(_options APPEND_PATH)
-  set(_singleargs LANGUAGE OUT_VAR EXPORT_MACRO PROTOC_OUT_DIR PLUGIN PLUGIN_OPTIONS DEPENDENCIES)
-  if(COMMAND target_sources)
-    list(APPEND _singleargs TARGET)
-  endif()
-  set(_multiargs PROTOS IMPORT_DIRS GENERATE_EXTENSIONS PROTOC_OPTIONS)
-
-  cmake_parse_arguments(protobuf_generate "${_options}" "${_singleargs}" "${_multiargs}" "${ARGN}")
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOS AND NOT protobuf_generate_TARGET)
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate called without any targets or source files")
-    return()
-  endif()
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR AND NOT protobuf_generate_TARGET)
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate called without a target or output variable")
-    return()
-  endif()
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE)
-    set(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE cpp)
-  endif()
-  string(TOLOWER ${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE} protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE)
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR)
-    set(protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
-  endif()
-
-  if(protobuf_generate_EXPORT_MACRO AND protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL cpp)
-    set(_dll_export_decl "dllexport_decl=${protobuf_generate_EXPORT_MACRO}")
-  endif()
-
-  foreach(_option ${_dll_export_decl} ${protobuf_generate_PLUGIN_OPTIONS})
-    # append comma - not using CMake lists and string replacement as users
-    # might have semicolons in options
-    if(_plugin_options)
-      set( _plugin_options "${_plugin_options},")
-    endif()
-    set(_plugin_options "${_plugin_options}${_option}")
-  endforeach()
-
-  if(protobuf_generate_PLUGIN)
-      set(_plugin "--plugin=${protobuf_generate_PLUGIN}")
-  endif()
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS)
-    if(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL cpp)
-      set(protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS .pb.h .pb.cc)
-    elseif(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL python)
-      set(protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS _pb2.py)
-    else()
-      message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate given unknown Language ${LANGUAGE}, please provide a value for GENERATE_EXTENSIONS")
-      return()
-    endif()
-  endif()
-
-  if(protobuf_generate_TARGET)
-    get_target_property(_source_list ${protobuf_generate_TARGET} SOURCES)
-    foreach(_file ${_source_list})
-      if(_file MATCHES "proto$")
-        list(APPEND protobuf_generate_PROTOS ${_file})
-      endif()
-    endforeach()
-  endif()
-
-  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOS)
-    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate could not find any .proto files")
-    return()
-  endif()
-
-  if(protobuf_generate_APPEND_PATH)
-    # Create an include path for each file specified
-    foreach(_file ${protobuf_generate_PROTOS})
-      get_filename_component(_abs_file ${_file} ABSOLUTE)
-      get_filename_component(_abs_dir ${_abs_file} DIRECTORY)
-      list(FIND _protobuf_include_path ${_abs_dir} _contains_already)
-      if(${_contains_already} EQUAL -1)
-          list(APPEND _protobuf_include_path -I ${_abs_dir})
-      endif()
-    endforeach()
-  endif()
-
-  foreach(DIR ${protobuf_generate_IMPORT_DIRS})
-    get_filename_component(ABS_PATH ${DIR} ABSOLUTE)
-    list(FIND _protobuf_include_path ${ABS_PATH} _contains_already)
-    if(${_contains_already} EQUAL -1)
-        list(APPEND _protobuf_include_path -I ${ABS_PATH})
-    endif()
-  endforeach()
-
-  if(NOT _protobuf_include_path)
-    set(_protobuf_include_path -I ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-  endif()
-
-  set(_generated_srcs_all)
-  foreach(_proto ${protobuf_generate_PROTOS})
-    get_filename_component(_abs_file ${_proto} ABSOLUTE)
-    get_filename_component(_abs_dir ${_abs_file} DIRECTORY)
-
-    get_filename_component(_file_full_name ${_proto} NAME)
-    string(FIND "${_file_full_name}" "." _file_last_ext_pos REVERSE)
-    string(SUBSTRING "${_file_full_name}" 0 ${_file_last_ext_pos} _basename)
-
-    set(_suitable_include_found FALSE)
-    foreach(DIR ${_protobuf_include_path})
-      if(NOT DIR STREQUAL "-I")
-        file(RELATIVE_PATH _rel_dir ${DIR} ${_abs_dir})
-        string(FIND "${_rel_dir}" "../" _is_in_parent_folder)
-        if (NOT ${_is_in_parent_folder} EQUAL 0)
-          set(_suitable_include_found TRUE)
-          break()
-        endif()
-      endif()
-    endforeach()
-
-    if(NOT _suitable_include_found)
-      message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate could not find any correct proto include directory.")
-      return()
-    endif()
-
-    set(_generated_srcs)
-    foreach(_ext ${protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS})
-      list(APPEND _generated_srcs "${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR}/${_rel_dir}/${_basename}${_ext}")
-    endforeach()
-    list(APPEND _generated_srcs_all ${_generated_srcs})
-
-    set(_comment "Running ${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE} protocol buffer compiler on ${_proto}")
-    if(protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS)
-      set(_comment "${_comment}, protoc-options: ${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS}")
-    endif()
-    if(_plugin_options)
-      set(_comment "${_comment}, plugin-options: ${_plugin_options}")
-    endif()
-
-    add_custom_command(
-      OUTPUT ${_generated_srcs}
-      COMMAND protobuf::protoc
-      ARGS ${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS} --${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE}_out ${_plugin_options}:${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR} ${_plugin} ${_protobuf_include_path} ${_abs_file}
-      DEPENDS ${_abs_file} protobuf::protoc ${protobuf_generate_DEPENDENCIES}
-      COMMENT ${_comment}
-      VERBATIM )
-  endforeach()
-
-  set_source_files_properties(${_generated_srcs_all} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
-  if(protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR)
-    set(${protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR} ${_generated_srcs_all} PARENT_SCOPE)
-  endif()
-  if(protobuf_generate_TARGET)
-    target_sources(${protobuf_generate_TARGET} PRIVATE ${_generated_srcs_all})
-  endif()
-
-endfunction()
+# protobuf-generate function
+include("${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/protobuf-generate.cmake")
 
 # CMake FindProtobuf module compatible file
 if(protobuf_MODULE_COMPATIBLE)
diff --git a/cmake/protobuf-generate.cmake b/cmake/protobuf-generate.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..10fd616a53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/protobuf-generate.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+function(protobuf_generate)
+  include(CMakeParseArguments)
+
+  set(_options APPEND_PATH)
+  set(_singleargs LANGUAGE OUT_VAR EXPORT_MACRO PROTOC_OUT_DIR PLUGIN PLUGIN_OPTIONS DEPENDENCIES)
+  if(COMMAND target_sources)
+    list(APPEND _singleargs TARGET)
+  endif()
+  set(_multiargs PROTOS IMPORT_DIRS GENERATE_EXTENSIONS PROTOC_OPTIONS)
+
+  cmake_parse_arguments(protobuf_generate "${_options}" "${_singleargs}" "${_multiargs}" "${ARGN}")
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOS AND NOT protobuf_generate_TARGET)
+    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate called without any targets or source files")
+    return()
+  endif()
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR AND NOT protobuf_generate_TARGET)
+    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate called without a target or output variable")
+    return()
+  endif()
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE)
+    set(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE cpp)
+  endif()
+  string(TOLOWER ${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE} protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE)
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR)
+    set(protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR})
+  endif()
+
+  if(protobuf_generate_EXPORT_MACRO AND protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL cpp)
+    set(_dll_export_decl "dllexport_decl=${protobuf_generate_EXPORT_MACRO}")
+  endif()
+
+  foreach(_option ${_dll_export_decl} ${protobuf_generate_PLUGIN_OPTIONS})
+    # append comma - not using CMake lists and string replacement as users
+    # might have semicolons in options
+    if(_plugin_options)
+      set( _plugin_options "${_plugin_options},")
+    endif()
+    set(_plugin_options "${_plugin_options}${_option}")
+  endforeach()
+
+  if(protobuf_generate_PLUGIN)
+      set(_plugin "--plugin=${protobuf_generate_PLUGIN}")
+  endif()
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS)
+    if(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL cpp)
+      set(protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS .pb.h .pb.cc)
+    elseif(protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE STREQUAL python)
+      set(protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS _pb2.py)
+    else()
+      message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate given unknown Language ${LANGUAGE}, please provide a value for GENERATE_EXTENSIONS")
+      return()
+    endif()
+  endif()
+
+  if(protobuf_generate_TARGET)
+    get_target_property(_source_list ${protobuf_generate_TARGET} SOURCES)
+    foreach(_file ${_source_list})
+      if(_file MATCHES "proto$")
+        list(APPEND protobuf_generate_PROTOS ${_file})
+      endif()
+    endforeach()
+  endif()
+
+  if(NOT protobuf_generate_PROTOS)
+    message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate could not find any .proto files")
+    return()
+  endif()
+
+  if(protobuf_generate_APPEND_PATH)
+    # Create an include path for each file specified
+    foreach(_file ${protobuf_generate_PROTOS})
+      get_filename_component(_abs_file ${_file} ABSOLUTE)
+      get_filename_component(_abs_dir ${_abs_file} DIRECTORY)
+      list(FIND _protobuf_include_path ${_abs_dir} _contains_already)
+      if(${_contains_already} EQUAL -1)
+          list(APPEND _protobuf_include_path -I ${_abs_dir})
+      endif()
+    endforeach()
+  endif()
+
+  foreach(DIR ${protobuf_generate_IMPORT_DIRS})
+    get_filename_component(ABS_PATH ${DIR} ABSOLUTE)
+    list(FIND _protobuf_include_path ${ABS_PATH} _contains_already)
+    if(${_contains_already} EQUAL -1)
+        list(APPEND _protobuf_include_path -I ${ABS_PATH})
+    endif()
+  endforeach()
+
+  if(NOT _protobuf_include_path)
+    set(_protobuf_include_path -I ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+  endif()
+
+  set(_generated_srcs_all)
+  foreach(_proto ${protobuf_generate_PROTOS})
+    get_filename_component(_abs_file ${_proto} ABSOLUTE)
+    get_filename_component(_abs_dir ${_abs_file} DIRECTORY)
+
+    get_filename_component(_file_full_name ${_proto} NAME)
+    string(FIND "${_file_full_name}" "." _file_last_ext_pos REVERSE)
+    string(SUBSTRING "${_file_full_name}" 0 ${_file_last_ext_pos} _basename)
+
+    set(_suitable_include_found FALSE)
+    foreach(DIR ${_protobuf_include_path})
+      if(NOT DIR STREQUAL "-I")
+        file(RELATIVE_PATH _rel_dir ${DIR} ${_abs_dir})
+        string(FIND "${_rel_dir}" "../" _is_in_parent_folder)
+        if (NOT ${_is_in_parent_folder} EQUAL 0)
+          set(_suitable_include_found TRUE)
+          break()
+        endif()
+      endif()
+    endforeach()
+
+    if(NOT _suitable_include_found)
+      message(SEND_ERROR "Error: protobuf_generate could not find any correct proto include directory.")
+      return()
+    endif()
+
+    set(_generated_srcs)
+    foreach(_ext ${protobuf_generate_GENERATE_EXTENSIONS})
+      list(APPEND _generated_srcs "${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR}/${_rel_dir}/${_basename}${_ext}")
+    endforeach()
+    list(APPEND _generated_srcs_all ${_generated_srcs})
+
+    set(_comment "Running ${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE} protocol buffer compiler on ${_proto}")
+    if(protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS)
+      set(_comment "${_comment}, protoc-options: ${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS}")
+    endif()
+    if(_plugin_options)
+      set(_comment "${_comment}, plugin-options: ${_plugin_options}")
+    endif()
+
+    add_custom_command(
+      OUTPUT ${_generated_srcs}
+      COMMAND protobuf::protoc
+      ARGS ${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OPTIONS} --${protobuf_generate_LANGUAGE}_out ${_plugin_options}:${protobuf_generate_PROTOC_OUT_DIR} ${_plugin} ${_protobuf_include_path} ${_abs_file}
+      DEPENDS ${_abs_file} protobuf::protoc ${protobuf_generate_DEPENDENCIES}
+      COMMENT ${_comment}
+      VERBATIM )
+  endforeach()
+
+  set_source_files_properties(${_generated_srcs_all} PROPERTIES GENERATED TRUE)
+  if(protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR)
+    set(${protobuf_generate_OUT_VAR} ${_generated_srcs_all} PARENT_SCOPE)
+  endif()
+  if(protobuf_generate_TARGET)
+    target_sources(${protobuf_generate_TARGET} PRIVATE ${_generated_srcs_all})
+  endif()
+
+endfunction()