diff --git a/moose-core/CMakeLists.txt b/moose-core/CMakeLists.txt
index 36f53b7a0c99eaddfec821ad2c2027515da4cba6..c46acbe53aa1111ff3cb29ac604fe86a491ddc23 100644
--- a/moose-core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/moose-core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ execute_process(
     )
 # If not set, use default.
 if(NOT PY_PLATFORM_ARCH)
-    message(PY_PLATFORM_ARCH "linux-x86_64")
+    set(PY_PLATFORM_ARCH "linux-x86_64")
 endif( )
 message(STATUS "Building bdist for arch: ${PY_PLATFORM_ARCH}")
 add_custom_target( bdist