diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
index 3fb88a274dd..871df481fd6 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 import spack.binary_distribution
 import spack.compilers.config
 import spack.compilers.flags
-import spack.concretize
 import spack.config
 import spack.deptypes as dt
 import spack.environment as ev
@@ -2766,13 +2765,13 @@ def define_runtime_constraints(self):
                     "libc",
                     when=f"%{compiler.name}@{compiler.versions}",
                     type="link",
-                    description="Add libc",
+                    description=f"Add libc when using {compiler}",
                 )
                 recorder("*").depends_on(
                     str(current_libc),
                     when=f"%{compiler.name}@{compiler.versions}",
                     type="link",
-                    description="Add libc",
+                    description=f"Libc is {current_libc} when using {compiler}",
                 )
 
         recorder.consume_facts()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp b/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
index 18188da0d37..270cf043f17 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
@@ -1364,12 +1364,16 @@ node_target_compatible(PackageNode, Target)
 #defined target_satisfies/2.
 compiler(Compiler) :- compiler_supports_target(Compiler, _, _).
 
-% can't use targets on node if the compiler for the node doesn't support them
-error(100, "{0} compiler '{2}@{3}' incompatible with 'target={1}'", Package, Target, Compiler, Version)
+% Can't use targets on node if the compiler for the node doesn't support them
+language("c").
+language("cxx").
+language("fortran").
+
+error(10, "{0} compiler '{2}@{3}' incompatible with 'target={1}'", Package, Target, Compiler, Version)
   :- attr("node_target", node(X, Package), Target),
-     attr("depends_on", node(X, Package), node(Y, Compiler), "build"),
+     attr("virtual_on_edge", node(X, Package), node(Y, Compiler), Language),
      attr("version", node(Y, Compiler), Version),
-     compiler(Compiler),
+     compiler(Compiler), language(Language),
      not compiler_supports_target(Compiler, Version, Target),
      build(node(X, Package)).