diff --git a/standalone/CMakeLists.txt b/standalone/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e92833a7216d602bd77f3a89b014f8cf32f9812..b848574fa6e10ad51c54050a23c03312a1c40568 100644
--- a/standalone/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/standalone/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,16 +1,19 @@
 cmake_minimum_required( VERSION 3.24 )
 project(PystencilsSfg_Standalone)
 
-set(CODEGEN_PRIVATE_VENV ON
-    CACHE BOOL
-    "Create a private virtual Python environment inside the build tree for code generation"
-)
 if (DEFINED CACHE{PystencilsSfg_PYTHON_INTERPRETER})
-	set( CACHE{CODEGEN_PRIVATE_VENV} OFF)
+    set( _use_venv_init OFF)
 elseif(DEFINED PystencilsSfg_PYTHON_PATH)
-	set( CACHE{CODEGEN_PRIVATE_VENV} OFF)
+    set( _use_venv_init OFF)
+else()
+    set( _use_venv_init ON )
 endif()
 
+set(CODEGEN_PRIVATE_VENV ${_use_venv_init}
+    CACHE BOOL
+    "Create a private virtual Python environment inside the build tree for code generation"
+)
+
 function(codegen_venv_install)
     if(NOT CODEGEN_PRIVATE_VENV)
         return()