diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/compiler.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/compiler.py
index 8a7f7ac3204..7526d2e8a3d 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/compiler.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/compiler.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 import llnl.util.tty as tty
 from llnl.util.lang import classproperty, memoized
 
+import spack
+import spack.compilers.error
 import spack.compilers.libraries
 import spack.config
 import spack.package_base
@@ -166,12 +168,13 @@ def determine_variants(cls, exes: Sequence[Path], version_str: str) -> Tuple:
     def standard_flag(self, *, language: str, standard: str) -> str:
         """Returns the flag used to enforce a given standard for a language"""
         if language not in self.supported_languages:
-            # FIXME (compiler as nodes): Use UnsupportedCompilerFlag ?
-            raise RuntimeError(f"{self.spec} does not provide the '{language}' language")
+            raise spack.compilers.error.UnsupportedCompilerFlag(
+                f"{self.spec} does not provide the '{language}' language"
+            )
         try:
             return self._standard_flag(language=language, standard=standard)
         except (KeyError, RuntimeError) as e:
-            raise RuntimeError(
+            raise spack.compilers.error.UnsupportedCompilerFlag(
                 f"{self.spec} does not provide the '{language}' standard {standard}"
             ) from e
 
@@ -303,18 +306,18 @@ def _compiler_output(
         version_argument: the argument used to extract version information
     """
     compiler = spack.util.executable.Executable(compiler_path)
-    compiler_invocation_args = {
-        "output": str,
-        "error": str,
-        "ignore_errors": ignore_errors,
-        "timeout": 120,
-        "fail_on_error": True,
-    }
-    if version_argument:
-        output = compiler(version_argument, **compiler_invocation_args)
-    else:
-        output = compiler(**compiler_invocation_args)
-    return output
+    if not version_argument:
+        return compiler(
+            output=str, error=str, ignore_errors=ignore_errors, timeout=120, fail_on_error=True
+        )
+    return compiler(
+        version_argument,
+        output=str,
+        error=str,
+        ignore_errors=ignore_errors,
+        timeout=120,
+        fail_on_error=True,
+    )
 
 
 def compiler_output(
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/error.py b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/error.py
index 15655ef6b35..849208640e9 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/error.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/error.py
@@ -13,10 +13,6 @@ def __init__(self, compiler, paths):
 
 
 class UnsupportedCompilerFlag(SpackError):
-    def __init__(self, compiler, feature, flag_name, ver_string=None):
-        super().__init__(
-            f"{compiler.name} ({ver_string if ver_string else compiler.version}) does not support"
-            f" {feature} (as compiler.{flag_name}). If you think it should, please edit the "
-            f"compiler.{compiler.name} subclass to implement the {flag_name} property and submit "
-            f"a pull request or issue."
-        )
+    """Raised when a compiler does not support a flag type (e.g. a flag to enforce a
+    language standard).
+    """