diff --git a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
index 628f68f6ea..9f29220d4f 100644
--- a/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cmake/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -701,12 +701,6 @@ else()
   message(STATUS "Static library flags:    ${CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS}")
 endif()
 if(BUILD_MPI)
-  # get MPI compile settings from MPI4WIN imported target when cross-compiling
-  if((CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL Windows) AND CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
-    get_target_property(MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_PATH MPI::MPI_CXX INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
-    get_target_property(MPI_CXX_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS MPI::MPI_CXX INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS)
-    get_target_property(MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES MPI::MPI_CXX IMPORTED_LOCATION)
-  endif()
   message(STATUS "<<< MPI flags >>>
 -- MPI_defines:      ${MPI_CXX_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS}
 -- MPI includes:     ${MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_PATH}
diff --git a/cmake/Modules/MPI4WIN.cmake b/cmake/Modules/MPI4WIN.cmake
index 19d2d2a13e..035c6a22f3 100644
--- a/cmake/Modules/MPI4WIN.cmake
+++ b/cmake/Modules/MPI4WIN.cmake
@@ -23,3 +23,8 @@ set_target_properties(MPI::MPI_CXX PROPERTIES
   INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${SOURCE_DIR}/include"
   INTERFACE_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX")
 add_dependencies(MPI::MPI_CXX mpi4win_build)
+
+# set variables for status reporting at the end of CMake run
+set(MPI_CXX_INCLUDE_PATH "${SOURCE_DIR}/include")
+set(MPI_CXX_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX")
+set(MPI_CXX_LIBRARIES "${SOURCE_DIR}/lib/libmpi.a")