diff --git a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
index fcec3e902e..1a46df0f01 100644
--- a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
@@ -277,6 +277,10 @@ int cmCoreTryCompile::TryCompileCode(std::vector<std::string> const& argv)
       cmakeFlags.push_back(flag);
       }
 
+    /* Put the executable at a known location (for COPY_FILE).  */
+    fprintf(fout, "SET(CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY \"%s\")\n",
+            this->BinaryDirectory.c_str());
+    /* Create the actual executable.  */
     fprintf(fout, "ADD_EXECUTABLE(cmTryCompileExec \"%s\")\n",source.c_str());
     fprintf(fout, 
             "TARGET_LINK_LIBRARIES(cmTryCompileExec ${LINK_LIBRARIES})\n");