diff --git a/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_aurora.cmake b/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_aurora.cmake
index 6835515164f0..c26a0161cb40 100644
--- a/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_aurora.cmake
+++ b/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_aurora.cmake
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -lmkl_intel_lp64 -lmkl_sequential -lmkl_c
 if (compile_threaded)
   string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -fiopenmp -fopenmp-targets=spir64")
 endif()
-string(APPEND SYCL_FLAGS " -\-intel -fsycl -fsycl-targets=spir64_gen -mlong-double-64 -Xsycl-target-backend \"-device 12.60.7\"")
+string(APPEND SYCL_FLAGS " -\-intel -fsycl -fsycl-targets=spir64_gen -mlong-double-64 ")
+string(APPEND SYCL_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -Xsycl-target-backend \"-device 12.60.7\" ")
 string(APPEND CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS " -Xclang -fsycl-allow-virtual-functions")
diff --git a/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_sunspot.cmake b/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_sunspot.cmake
index 6835515164f0..c26a0161cb40 100644
--- a/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_sunspot.cmake
+++ b/cime_config/machines/cmake_macros/oneapi-ifxgpu_sunspot.cmake
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -lmkl_intel_lp64 -lmkl_sequential -lmkl_c
 if (compile_threaded)
   string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -fiopenmp -fopenmp-targets=spir64")
 endif()
-string(APPEND SYCL_FLAGS " -\-intel -fsycl -fsycl-targets=spir64_gen -mlong-double-64 -Xsycl-target-backend \"-device 12.60.7\"")
+string(APPEND SYCL_FLAGS " -\-intel -fsycl -fsycl-targets=spir64_gen -mlong-double-64 ")
+string(APPEND SYCL_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " -Xsycl-target-backend \"-device 12.60.7\" ")
 string(APPEND CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS " -Xclang -fsycl-allow-virtual-functions")