diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-tensorflow/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-tensorflow/package.py
index d2cd86c3aa0..adfb68caeb1 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-tensorflow/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-tensorflow/package.py
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ def configure(self, spec, prefix):
     def post_configure_fixes(self):
         spec = self.spec
 
-        if spec.satisfies("@2.17:"):
+        if spec.satisfies("@2.17:") and ("patchelf" in spec):
             filter_file(
                 "patchelf",
                 spec["patchelf"].prefix.bin.patchelf,