diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dealii/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dealii/package.py
index c2087ef7d0a..75b63576e2f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dealii/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dealii/package.py
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ class Dealii(CMakePackage, CudaPackage):
     depends_on('lapack')
     depends_on('muparser')
     depends_on('suite-sparse')
+    depends_on('suite-sparse@:5.1.0', when='%gcc@:4.8.99')
     depends_on('tbb')
     depends_on('zlib')