diff --git a/Templates/CMakeSystemConfig.cmake.in b/Templates/CMakeSystemConfig.cmake.in
index b06ae8ae8d..7adaefbc2a 100644
--- a/Templates/CMakeSystemConfig.cmake.in
+++ b/Templates/CMakeSystemConfig.cmake.in
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # CMakeLocal.make.in should be in the directory where you run configure
 # in, which need not be the source directory
 #
-SET (CMAKE_WORDS_BIGENDIAN    @CMAKE_WORDS_BIGENDIAN@
+SET (CMAKE_WORDS_BIGENDIAN    @CMAKE_WORDS_BIGENDIAN@ CACHE BOOL 
      "Byte ordering is big-endian.")
 
 SET (CMAKE_USE_SPROC          @CMAKE_USE_SPROC@ CACHE BOOL