diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
index 8232674a840..0858c92ff83 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class InstallStatus(enum.Enum):
 
     installed = "@g{[+]}  "
     upstream = "@g{[^]}  "
-    external = "@g{[e]}  "
+    external = "@M{[e]}  "
     absent = "@K{ - }  "
     missing = "@r{[-]}  "