diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 67322d5b1c..1a8e17e87e 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -157,11 +157,10 @@ else()
   file(GLOB MPI_SOURCES ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS/mpi.c)
   add_library(mpi_stubs STATIC ${MPI_SOURCES})
   set_target_properties(mpi_stubs PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME lammps_mpi_stubs${LAMMPS_MACHINE})
-  target_include_directories(mpi_stubs PUBLIC $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS> $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/lammps/mpi>)
+  target_include_directories(mpi_stubs PUBLIC $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS>)
   if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
-    install(FILES ${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS/mpi.h DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/lammps/mpi)
     target_link_libraries(lammps PRIVATE mpi_stubs)
-    target_include_directories(lammps INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS> $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/lammps/mpi>)
+    target_include_directories(lammps INTERFACE $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${LAMMPS_SOURCE_DIR}/STUBS>)
   else()
     target_link_libraries(lammps PUBLIC mpi_stubs)
   endif()