diff --git a/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompiler.cmake b/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompiler.cmake
index cd0f8b8ee..0ab3af62c 100644
--- a/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompiler.cmake
+++ b/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompiler.cmake
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ macro(_cmake_find_compiler lang)
   endif()
   find_program(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER NAMES ${CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_LIST} DOC "${lang} compiler")
   if(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_INIT AND NOT CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER)
-    set(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER "${CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_INIT}" CACHE FILEPATH "${lang} compiler" FORCE)
+    set_property(CACHE CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER PROPERTY VALUE "${CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_INIT}")
   endif()
   unset(_${lang}_COMPILER_HINTS)
   unset(_languages)