diff --git a/bindings/CMakeLists.txt b/bindings/CMakeLists.txt
index 896dc1fd64..78f4932d00 100644
--- a/bindings/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bindings/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -155,6 +155,16 @@ mark_as_advanced(SWIG_EXTRA_FLAGS)
 if(YARP_COMPILE_BINDINGS)
   unset(SWIG_COMMON_FLAGS)
 
+  #############################################################################
+  ## Pass a macro to permit to code in yarp.i to distinguish between when is
+  ## swig is processing yarp.i because it is generated yarp bindings, or if
+  ## it is processing yarp.i as it was included in some downstream bindings
+  ## (such as icub-main bindings)
+  ## If you mantain a project downstream of YARP that is including yarp.i,
+  ## make sure that you DO NOT define this macro
+  list(APPEND SWIG_COMMON_FLAGS "-DSWIG_GENERATING_YARP_BINDINGS")
+
+
   #############################################################################
   ## Do not build deprecated functions when disabled
 
diff --git a/bindings/yarp.i b/bindings/yarp.i
index 5f834d2451..1de8af2e34 100644
--- a/bindings/yarp.i
+++ b/bindings/yarp.i
@@ -2005,10 +2005,11 @@ public:
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// Just in Python add some code to automatically call
+// Just in Python (and in yarp bindings itself, not in downstream bindings
+// that include yarp.i) add some code to automatically call
 // add_dll_directory as necessary
 // See https://github.com/robotology/robotology-superbuild/issues/1268
 // for more details
-#ifdef SWIGPYTHON
+#if defined(SWIGPYTHON) && defined(SWIG_GENERATING_YARP_BINDINGS)
 %include <swig_python_windows_preable.i>
 #endif