diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 95d738d279..961bcef551 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -428,6 +428,18 @@ if(BUILD_OMP)
   target_link_libraries(lmp PRIVATE OpenMP::OpenMP_CXX)
 endif()
 
+# lower C++ standard for fmtlib sources when using Intel classic compiler
+if((CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Intel") AND (CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD GREATER_EQUAL 17)
+    AND (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION VERSION_LESS 2021.10))
+  message(STATUS "Lowering C++ standard for compiling fmtlib sources with Intel Classic compiler")
+  get_filename_component(LMP_UTILS_SRC "${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/utils.cpp" ABSOLUTE)
+  get_filename_component(LMP_VARIABLE_SRC "${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/variable.cpp" ABSOLUTE)
+  get_filename_component(FMT_FORMAT_SRC "${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/fmtlib_format.cpp" ABSOLUTE)
+  get_filename_component(FMT_OS_SRC "${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/fmtlib_os.cpp" ABSOLUTE)
+  set_source_files_properties("${FMT_FORMAT_SRC}" "${FMT_OS_SRC}" "${LMP_VARIABLE_SRC}" "${LMP_UTILS_SRC}"
+          PROPERTIES COMPILE_OPTIONS "-std=c++14")
+endif()
+
 if(PKG_ATC OR PKG_AWPMD OR PKG_ML-QUIP OR PKG_ML-POD OR PKG_ELECTRODE OR BUILD_TOOLS)
   enable_language(C)
   if (NOT USE_INTERNAL_LINALG)