diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index d7f79974de..3568095d4d 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ if(BUILD_MPI)
     endif()
   endif()
   target_link_libraries(lammps PUBLIC MPI::MPI_C)
+  target_link_libraries(lmp PUBLIC MPI::MPI_C)
 else()
   target_sources(lammps PRIVATE ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS/mpi.cpp)
   add_library(mpi_stubs INTERFACE)