diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gridlab-d/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gridlab-d/package.py
index 7964a2517fa..1f18ae81e47 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gridlab-d/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gridlab-d/package.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ def configure_args(self):
             args.append('CFLAGS=-g -O0 -w')
             args.append('CXXFLAGS=-g -O0 -w -std=c++14')
             args.append('LDFLAGS=-g -O0 -w')
+            args.append('--with-xerces=' + self.spec['xerces-c'].prefix)
 
         return args