diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mpi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mpi/package.py
index de7147dd352..fda025f0e3b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mpi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mpi/package.py
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ def setup_dependent_build_environment(self, env, dependent_spec):
         env.set('MPIF90', join_path(dir, 'mpif90'))
         env.set('MPIFC', join_path(dir, 'mpifc'))
 
+        env.set('I_MPI_ROOT', self.component_path)
+
     @property
     def headers(self):
         include_path = join_path(self.component_path, 'include')