diff --git a/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt b/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
index 6101e2a46c0..ec0069078d8 100644
--- a/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/shared/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ if (ENABLE_BUILD_QBS)
 
   set(INSTALL_PUBLIC_HEADERS OFF CACHE BOOL "")
   set(WITH_TESTS OFF)
-  set(WITH_PROJECT_FILE_UPDATES ON)
+  set(WITH_PROJECT_FILE_UPDATES ON CACHE BOOL "")
   set(QBS_INSTALL_QCH_DOCS ${WITH_DOCS} CACHE BOOL "")
   add_subdirectory(qbs)
 endif()