diff --git a/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake b/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
index f1382729f..3ca8b903f 100644
--- a/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
+++ b/cmake/GtsamCythonWrap.cmake
@@ -279,3 +279,10 @@ function(install_cython_files source_files dest_directory)
 
 endfunction()
 
+function(install_python_package install_path)
+  set(package_path "${install_path}${GTSAM_BUILD_TAG}")
+  # set cython directory permissions to user so we don't get permission denied
+  install(CODE "execute_process(COMMAND sh \"-c\" \"chown -R $(logname):$(logname) ${package_path}\")")
+  # go to cython directory and run setup.py
+  install(CODE "execute_process(COMMAND sh \"-c\" \"cd ${package_path} && python setup.py install\")")
+endfunction()
diff --git a/cython/CMakeLists.txt b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
index 4cc9d2f5d..96503b82f 100644
--- a/cython/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/cython/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -45,4 +45,6 @@ if (GTSAM_INSTALL_CYTHON_TOOLBOX)
   install_cython_scripts("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/gtsam" "${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}" "*.py")
   install_cython_scripts("${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/cython/gtsam_unstable" "${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}" "*.py")
 
+  install_python_package("${GTSAM_CYTHON_INSTALL_PATH}")
+
 endif ()