diff --git a/oxpy/CMakeLists.txt b/oxpy/CMakeLists.txt
index 15538b914..1d9c10299 100644
--- a/oxpy/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/oxpy/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ IF(Python)
 	SET(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_PREFIX "")
 	
 	# we need the oxDNA "common" library to be compiled so that the resulting code is position-independent and the library can be linked dynamically
-	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(${lib_name} PROPERTIES POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
+	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(oxdna_common PROPERTIES POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
 	
 	ADD_LIBRARY(_oxpy_lib STATIC ${oxpy_SOURCES})
-	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(_oxpy_lib ${PYTHON_LIBRARIES} ${lib_name})
+	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(_oxpy_lib ${PYTHON_LIBRARIES} oxdna_common)
 	SET_TARGET_PROPERTIES(_oxpy_lib PROPERTIES POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
 	pybind11_add_module(core SHARED bindings.cpp)
 	TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(core PRIVATE _oxpy_lib)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 2485b701c..a5f0b3afc 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 set(CMAKE_POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON)
 
+SET(lib_name oxdna_common)
+
 IF(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE MATCHES Debug)
 	SET(exe_name oxDNA_debug)
-	SET(lib_name oxdna_common_debug)
 ELSEIF(MPI)
 	SET(exe_name oxDNA_mpi)
-	SET(lib_name oxdna_common)
 ELSE()
 	SET(exe_name oxDNA)
-	SET(lib_name oxdna_common)
 ENDIF()
 
 SET(observables_SOURCES