diff --git a/CMake/download_kvasd.cmake b/CMake/download_kvasd.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7bb176a68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMake/download_kvasd.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#
+# CMake script to fetch kvasd binary for the current platform
+#
+set (kvasd_NAME https://svn.code.sf.net/p/wsjt/wsjt/trunk/kvasd-binary/${SYSTEM_NAME}/kvasd${EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX})
+message (STATUS "file: ${kvasd_NAME}")
+if (APPLE)
+  set (__kvasd_md5sum 198dbdde1e4b04f9940f63731097ee35)
+endif (APPLE)
+if (WIN32)
+  set (__kvasd_md5sum 7b16809e51126a01bd02aed44427510c)
+endif (WIN32)
+if (UNIX)
+  set (__kvasd_md5sum 77d5eef0215783fa74478ab411ac32ca)
+endif (UNIX)
+file (
+  DOWNLOAD ${kvasd_NAME} contrib/kvasd${EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX}
+  TIMEOUT 10
+  STATUS kvasd_STATUS
+  LOG kvasd_LOG
+  SHOW_PROGRESS
+  EXPECTED_MD5 ${__kvasd_md5sum}
+  )
+list (GET kvasd_STATUS 0 kvasd_RC)
+if (kvasd_RC)
+  message (WARNING "${kvasd_STATUS}")
+  message (FATAL_ERROR "${kvasd_LOG}")
+endif (kvasd_RC)
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f849c6d50..01d0d7b5c 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -526,22 +526,15 @@ endif ()
 
 
 #
-# fetch kvasd
+# fetch and validate kvasd
 #
-set (kvasd_NAME https://svn.code.sf.net/p/wsjt/wsjt/trunk/kvasd-binary/${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME}/kvasd${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX})
-file (
-  DOWNLOAD ${kvasd_NAME} contrib/kvasd${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX}
-  TIMEOUT 10
-  STATUS kvasd_STATUS
-  LOG kvasd_LOG
-  SHOW_PROGRESS
+add_custom_command (
+  OUTPUT contrib/kvasd${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX}
+  COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -D SYSTEM_NAME=${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} -D EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX=${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX} -P ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/CMake/download_kvasd.cmake
+  DEPENDS CMake/download_kvasd.cmake
+  COMMENT "Downloading kvasd for ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME}"
+  VERBATIM
   )
-message (${kvasd_LOG})
-list (GET kvasd_STATUS 0 kvasd_RC)
-if (kvasd_RC)
-  message (WARNING "${kvasd_STATUS}")
-endif (kvasd_RC)
-add_custom_target (kvasd DEPENDS contrib/kvasd${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX})
 
 
 # UI generation
@@ -589,7 +582,7 @@ qt5_use_modules (jt9 Core)
 #qt5_use_modules (ConfigTest Widgets OpenGL Network Multimedia)
 
 # build the main application
-add_executable (wsjtx WIN32 MACOSX_BUNDLE ${wsjtx_CXXSRCS} ${wsjtx_GENUISRCS} wsjtx.rc ${WSJTX_ICON_FILE} ${wsjtx_RESOURCES_RCC})
+add_executable (wsjtx WIN32 MACOSX_BUNDLE ${wsjtx_CXXSRCS} ${wsjtx_GENUISRCS} wsjtx.rc ${WSJTX_ICON_FILE} ${wsjtx_RESOURCES_RCC} contrib/kvasd${CMAKE_EXECUTABLE_SUFFIX})
 qt5_use_modules (wsjtx Widgets OpenGL Network Multimedia)
 
 set_target_properties (wsjtx PROPERTIES
@@ -603,7 +596,6 @@ set_target_properties (wsjtx PROPERTIES
   )
 
 target_link_libraries (wsjtx wsjt wsjt_qt ${hamlib_LIBRARIES} ${FFTW3_LIBRARIES})
-add_dependencies (wsjtx kvasd)
 
 if (WIN32)
   set_target_properties (