diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/leveldb/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/leveldb/package.py
index d6a1fd3ec52..f70d68b303a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/leveldb/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/leveldb/package.py
@@ -70,10 +70,11 @@ def cmake_args(self):
         else:
             args.append("-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF")
 
-        # The tarball is missing the benchmark and test submodules
-        if self.spec.satisfies("@1.23:"):
-            args.append("-DLEVELDB_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=OFF")
-            args.append("-DLEVELDB_BUILD_TESTS=OFF")
+        # 1.23 tarball is missing the benchmark and test submodules
+        # and for older versions, some compilers fail to compile the
+        # benchmarks
+        args.append("-DLEVELDB_BUILD_BENCHMARKS=OFF")
+        args.append("-DLEVELDB_BUILD_TESTS=OFF")
 
         return args