diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c35b8507fd..85dc3cd3d6 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ if(NRN_ENABLE_CORENEURON)
   get_property(CORENRN_LIB_LINK_FLAGS GLOBAL PROPERTY CORENRN_LIB_LINK_FLAGS)
   get_property(CORENRN_NEURON_LINK_FLAGS GLOBAL PROPERTY CORENRN_NEURON_LINK_FLAGS)
   get_property(CORENRN_ENABLE_SHARED GLOBAL PROPERTY CORENRN_ENABLE_SHARED)
+  get_property(CORENRN_NMODL_BINARY GLOBAL PROPERTY CORENRN_NMODL_BINARY)
   # NEURON tests that link against CoreNEURON need to depend on it.
   set(CORENEURON_TARGET_TO_DEPEND coreneuron-for-tests)
 
diff --git a/src/coreneuron/CMakeLists.txt b/src/coreneuron/CMakeLists.txt
index 2552c80abd..561b9896e3 100644
--- a/src/coreneuron/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/coreneuron/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -283,8 +283,8 @@ else()
     FILES ${NMODL_PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/share/nmodl/nrnunits.lib
     DESTINATION share/nmodl
     COMPONENT nrnunits)
-
 endif()
+set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY CORENRN_NMODL_BINARY "${CORENRN_NMODL_BINARY}")
 
 # set correct arguments for nmodl for cpu/gpu target
 set(CORENRN_NMODL_FLAGS
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index c1e5411f03..86d011562b 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -655,8 +655,10 @@ if(NRN_ENABLE_PYTHON)
       NAME test_nmodlrandom_syntax_py_${processor}
       REQUIRES coreneuron ${processor} ${modtests_preload_sanitizer}
       SCRIPT_PATTERNS test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py
-      ENVIRONMENT ${modtests_processor_env} ${nrnpython_mpi_env}
-                  COVERAGE_FILE=.coverage.coreneuron_test_nmodlrandom_syntax_py
+      ENVIRONMENT
+        ${modtests_processor_env} ${nrnpython_mpi_env}
+        COVERAGE_FILE=.coverage.coreneuron_test_nmodlrandom_syntax_py
+        NMODL_BINARY=${CORENRN_NMODL_BINARY}
       COMMAND ${modtests_launch_py} test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py)
     nrn_add_test(
       GROUP coreneuron_modtests
diff --git a/test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py b/test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py
index 1dbe14ec61..9e04092a7b 100644
--- a/test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py
+++ b/test/coreneuron/test_nmodlrandom_syntax.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from neuron import h
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
+import os
 
 
 # default args generate accepted nmodl string
@@ -75,7 +76,9 @@ def chk_nmodl(txt, program="nocmodl", rcode=False):
 
 
 def test_syntax():
-    for program in ["nocmodl", "nmodl"]:
+    # nmodl could be external installation (not in PATH)
+    nmodl_binary = os.environ.get("NMODL_BINARY", "nmodl")
+    for program in ["nocmodl", nmodl_binary]:
         foo = False
         assert chk_nmodl(modfile(), program, rcode=True)
         assert chk_nmodl(modfile(s0="ASSIGNED{rv1}"), program)