diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mkl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mkl/package.py
index 0d227b39528..1952f35d154 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mkl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/intel-oneapi-mkl/package.py
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ def setup_run_environment(self, env):
 
     def setup_dependent_build_environment(self, env, dependent_spec):
         env.set("MKLROOT", self.component_prefix)
+        env.append_path("PKG_CONFIG_PATH", self.component_prefix.lib.pkgconfig)
 
     def _find_mkl_libs(self, shared):
         libs = []