diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 59fefd5b6..2c49bffd7 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ endif(USE_PYTHON)
 set(NG_INSTALL_DIR EXPORT netgen-targets RUNTIME DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_BIN} COMPONENT netgen LIBRARY DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_LIB} COMPONENT netgen_devel ARCHIVE DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_LIB} COMPONENT netgen_devel)
 install(EXPORT netgen-targets DESTINATION ${NG_INSTALL_DIR_CMAKE} COMPONENT netgen_devel)
 
-set(CMAKE_MACOSX_RPATH TRUE)
+if(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_MACOSX_RPATH)
+  set(CMAKE_MACOSX_RPATH TRUE)
+endif(NOT DEFINED CMAKE_MACOSX_RPATH)
 set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "${NG_RPATH_TOKEN};${NG_RPATH_TOKEN}/${NETGEN_RPATH}")
 if(BUILD_FOR_CONDA)
     file(RELATIVE_PATH py_rpath "/bin" "/${NG_INSTALL_DIR_LIB}")