diff --git a/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt b/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
index 79b64eed86296603ce4ebd27dfcda7c774d41599..665766a5815245c6d83cae5414adade3e003ccbc 100644
--- a/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bindings/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ endif()
 string(REGEX REPLACE "^${PYTHON_PREFIX}/" ""
   CMAKE_INSTALL_PYTHONDIR "${PYTHON_SITE_PACKAGES}"
 )
+set(CMAKE_INSTALL_PYTHONDIR "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PYTHONDIR}"
+  CACHE INTERNAL "" FORCE
+)
 set_target_properties(adios2py PROPERTIES
   OUTPUT_NAME adios2
   LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${ADIOS2_BINARY_DIR}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_PYTHONDIR}