diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/msvc.py b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/msvc.py
index 91ebc8f25ff..7a8432ecfa0 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/msvc.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/msvc.py
@@ -103,11 +103,22 @@ def short_msvc_version(self):
         """
         This is the shorthand VCToolset version of form
         MSVC<short-ver> *NOT* the full version, for that see
-        Msvc.msvc_version
+        Msvc.msvc_version or MSVC.platform_toolset_ver for the
+        raw platform toolset version
         """
-        ver = self.msvc_version[:2].joined.string[:3]
+        ver = self.platform_toolset_ver
         return "MSVC" + ver
 
+    @property
+    def platform_toolset_ver(self):
+        """
+        This is the platform toolset version of current MSVC compiler
+        i.e. 142.
+        This is different from the VC toolset version as established
+        by `short_msvc_version`
+        """
+        return self.msvc_version[:2].joined.string[:3]
+
     @property
     def cl_version(self):
         """Cl toolset version"""