diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
index 68e5f5a2bb6..d3eec4f6314 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
@@ -227,10 +227,12 @@ def common_config_args(self):
     @when('@3')
     def configure(self):
         # A user reported that this was necessary to link Qt3 on ubuntu
-        # The previous change tried to append to LD_LIBRARY_PATH, but since 
-        # spack clears LD_LIBRARY_PATH do not append to the LD_LIBRARY_PATH
-        # instead set LD_LIBRARY_PATH.
-        os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'] = os.pathsep + os.getcwd() + '/lib'
+	# However, if LD_LIBRARY_PATH is not set the qt build fails, so check
+	# and set LD_LIBRARY_PATH if not set, update if it is set.
+	if not os.environ.get('LD_LIBRARY_PATH'):
+	    os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'] = os.pathsep + os.getcwd() + '/lib'
+	else:
+	    os.environ['LD_LIBRARY_PATH'] += os.pathsep + os.getcwd() + '/lib'
 
         configure('-prefix', self.prefix,
                   '-v',