diff --git a/easybuild/easyconfigs/s/SimpleElastix/SimpleElastix-1.1.0-foss-2019b-Python-3.7.4.eb b/easybuild/easyconfigs/s/SimpleElastix/SimpleElastix-1.1.0-foss-2019b-Python-3.7.4.eb
index a1e4cf0b0a5..ce7e162fc4a 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyconfigs/s/SimpleElastix/SimpleElastix-1.1.0-foss-2019b-Python-3.7.4.eb
+++ b/easybuild/easyconfigs/s/SimpleElastix/SimpleElastix-1.1.0-foss-2019b-Python-3.7.4.eb
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ components = [
         'source_urls': ['https://github.com/InsightSoftwareConsortium/ITK/archive/'],
         'checksums': ['c6b3c33ecc73104c906e0e1a1bfaa41a09af24bf53a4ec5e5c265d7e82bdf69f'],
         'srcdir': '%%(builddir)s/ITK-%s' % local_itk_ver,
+        # we need to take matters into our own hands here to ensure we have a unique build directory per component;
+        # by default, CMakeMake will (re)use %(builddir)s/easybuild_obj, which causes trouble
+        'separate_build_dir': False,
         'preconfigopts': "mkdir easybuild_obj && cd easybuild_obj && Eigen3_DIR=$EBROOTEIGEN ",
         'configopts': local_itk_configopts,
         'prebuildopts': "cd easybuild_obj && ",
@@ -87,6 +90,7 @@ components = [
         }],
         'checksums': ['a377ae0307231bf70c474e87ebbf07d649faca211febf1c1d981a2039fcfcd0e'],
         'srcdir': '%%(builddir)s/elastix-%s' % local_elastix_ver,
+        'separate_build_dir': False,
         'preconfigopts': "mkdir easybuild_obj && cd easybuild_obj && ",
         'configopts': local_elastix_configopts,
         'prebuildopts': "cd easybuild_obj && ",