diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 10576b055cd9ac391daeb47541cb1cb761cda4ca..03dd738bdafb7a08db2bbc2fa93f4a957c0dc630 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ if (MORSE_DISTRIB_DIR OR EXISTS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake_modules/")
     set(CMAKE_BUILD_WITH_INSTALL_RPATH FALSE)
 
     # the RPATH to be used when installing
-    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "${CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH} ${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib")
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/lib")
 
     # Misc options
     # ------------