diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bash/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bash/package.py
index 1aa02c1f7a5..4af7b56e98c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bash/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bash/package.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ def configure_args(self):
             args.append("--without-libiconv-prefix")
         # bash malloc relies on sbrk which fails intentionally in musl
         if spec.satisfies("^[virtuals=libc] musl"):
-            options.append("--without-bash-malloc")
+            args.append("--without-bash-malloc")
         return args
 
     def check(self):