diff --git a/cmake/Modules/FindMSCG.cmake b/cmake/Modules/FindMSCG.cmake
index 311ff78038..b301303dbe 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/FindMSCG.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/FindMSCG.cmake
@@ -10,13 +10,23 @@ find_path(MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR mscg.h PATH_SUFFIXES mscg)
 
 find_library(MSCG_LIBRARY NAMES mscg)
 
-set(MSCG_LIBRARIES ${MSCG_LIBRARY})
-set(MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR})
-
 include(FindPackageHandleStandardArgs)
 # handle the QUIETLY and REQUIRED arguments and set MSCG_FOUND to TRUE
 # if all listed variables are TRUE
 
 find_package_handle_standard_args(MSCG DEFAULT_MSG MSCG_LIBRARY MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR)
 
+# Copy the results to the output variables and target.
+if(MSCG_FOUND)
+  set(MSCG_LIBRARIES ${MSCG_LIBRARY})
+  set(MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR})
+
+  if(NOT TARGET MSCG::MSCG)
+    add_library(MSCG::MSCG UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+    set_target_properties(MSCG::MSCG PROPERTIES
+      IMPORTED_LOCATION "${MSCG_LIBRARY}"
+      INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR}")
+  endif()
+endif()
+
 mark_as_advanced(MSCG_INCLUDE_DIR MSCG_LIBRARY )
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/Packages/MSCG.cmake b/cmake/Modules/Packages/MSCG.cmake
index 2c63e69fa7..750a1a8c37 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/Packages/MSCG.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/Packages/MSCG.cmake
@@ -29,12 +29,17 @@ if(PKG_MSCG)
       BUILD_BYPRODUCTS <BINARY_DIR>/libmscg.a
       )
     ExternalProject_get_property(mscg_build BINARY_DIR)
-    set(MSCG_LIBRARIES ${BINARY_DIR}/libmscg.a)
     ExternalProject_get_property(mscg_build SOURCE_DIR)
     set(MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS ${SOURCE_DIR}/src)
+    if(NOT TARGET MSCG::MSCG)
+      add_library(MSCG::MSCG UNKNOWN IMPORTED)
+      set_target_properties(MSCG::MSCG PROPERTIES
+        IMPORTED_LOCATION "${BINARY_DIR}/libmscg.a"
+        INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
+    endif()
     add_dependencies(lammps mscg_build)
     if(NOT LAPACK_FOUND)
-      file(MAKE_DIRECTORY ${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+      file(MAKE_DIRECTORY )
       add_dependencies(mscg_build linalg)
     endif()
   else()
@@ -43,6 +48,5 @@ if(PKG_MSCG)
       message(FATAL_ERROR "MSCG not found, help CMake to find it by setting MSCG_LIBRARY and MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS, or set DOWNLOAD_MSCG=ON to download it")
     endif()
   endif()
-  target_link_libraries(lammps PRIVATE ${MSCG_LIBRARIES} GSL::gsl ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES})
-  include_directories(${MSCG_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  target_link_libraries(lammps PRIVATE MSCG::MSCG GSL::gsl ${LAPACK_LIBRARIES})
 endif()