diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openmpi/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openmpi/package.py
index d4c56038ecf..87f6384d4b6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openmpi/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openmpi/package.py
@@ -899,10 +899,16 @@ def setup_run_environment(self, env):
     def setup_dependent_build_environment(self, env, dependent_spec):
         # Use the spack compiler wrappers under MPI
         dependent_module = dependent_spec.package.module
-        env.set("OMPI_CC", dependent_module.spack_cc)
-        env.set("OMPI_CXX", dependent_module.spack_cxx)
-        env.set("OMPI_FC", dependent_module.spack_fc)
-        env.set("OMPI_F77", dependent_module.spack_f77)
+        for var_name, attr_name in (
+            ("OMPI_CC", "spack_cc"),
+            ("OMPI_CXX", "spack_cxx"),
+            ("OMPI_FC", "spack_fc"),
+            ("OMPI_F77", "spack_f77"),
+        ):
+            if not hasattr(dependent_module, attr_name):
+                continue
+
+            env.set(var_name, getattr(dependent_module, attr_name))
 
         # See https://www.open-mpi.org/faq/?category=building#installdirs
         for suffix in [