diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gcc/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gcc/package.py
index d4ed2341228..893b8efce59 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gcc/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gcc/package.py
@@ -250,6 +250,6 @@ def write_rpath_specs(self):
             for line in lines:
                 out.write(line + '\n')
                 if line.startswith('*link:'):
-                    out.write(r'-rpath {0}:{1} \n'.format(
+                    out.write('-rpath {0}:{1} '.format(
                               self.prefix.lib, self.prefix.lib64))
         set_install_permissions(specs_file)