diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-HDNNP.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-HDNNP.cmake
index 147501a7d7..3376feea88 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-HDNNP.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Packages/USER-HDNNP.cmake
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ if(DOWNLOAD_N2P2)
 
   string(TOUPPER "${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}" BTYPE)
   set(N2P2_BUILD_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_CXX_FLAGS} ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_${BTYPE}} ${N2P2_CXX_STD}")
-  set(N2P2_BUILD_OPTIONS INTERFACES=LAMMPS COMP=${N2P2_COMP} "PROJECT_OPTIONS=${N2P2_PROJECT_OPTIONS}"
-    "PROJECT_CC=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}" "PROJECT_MPICC=${MPI_CXX_COMPILER}" "PROJECT_CFLAGS=${N2P2_BUILD_FLAGS}")
+  set(N2P2_BUILD_OPTIONS INTERFACES=LAMMPS COMP=${N2P2_COMP} "PROJECT_OPTIONS=${N2P2_PROJECT_OPTIONS}" "PROJECT_DEBUG="
+    "PROJECT_CC=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}" "PROJECT_MPICC=${MPI_CXX_COMPILER}" "PROJECT_CFLAGS=${N2P2_BUILD_FLAGS}"
+    "PROJECT_AR=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_AR}")
   message(STATUS "N2P2 BUILD OPTIONS: ${N2P2_BUILD_OPTIONS}")
 
   include(ExternalProject)