diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/exodusii/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/exodusii/package.py
index dbc60affbc8..1b25757c3fb 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/exodusii/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/exodusii/package.py
@@ -180,10 +180,11 @@ def cmake_args(self):
                 [
                     define("CMAKE_C_COMPILER", spec["mpi"].mpicc),
                     define("CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER", spec["mpi"].mpicxx),
-                    define("CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER", spec["mpi"].mpifc),
                     define("MPI_BASE_DIR", spec["mpi"].prefix),
                 ]
             )
+            if "+fortran" in self.spec:
+                options.append(define("CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER", spec["mpi"].mpifc))
 
         # ##################### Dependencies ##########################
         # Always need NetCDF-C