diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 60f24c286..e9b99863b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15...3.30)
 
 project(freud)
+set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)
 
 set(DEFAULT_BUILD_TYPE "Release")
 
@@ -84,8 +85,10 @@ include_directories(
 add_subdirectory(freud)
 
 # enable compile_commands.json
-set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON FORCE)
-if(NOT WIN32)
-  file(CREATE_LINK "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/compile_commands.json"
-       "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/compile_commands.json" SYMBOLIC)
+if (NOT WIN32)
+  file(CREATE_LINK
+    "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/compile_commands.json"
+    "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/compile_commands.json"
+    SYMBOLIC
+  )
 endif()