diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/neuron/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/neuron/package.py
index 88bdca7647d..f22033d11fd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/neuron/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/neuron/package.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class Neuron(CMakePackage):
     variant("python",        default=True,  description="Enable python")
     variant("rx3d",          default=False,  description="Enable cython translated 3-d rxd")
     variant("tests",         default=False, description="Enable unit tests")
+    variant("caliper",       default=False, description="Add LLNL/Caliper support")
 
     depends_on("bison",     type="build")
     depends_on("flex",      type="build")
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ class Neuron(CMakePackage):
     depends_on("python@2.7:", when="+python")
     depends_on("py-pytest",   when="+python+tests")
     depends_on("readline")
+    depends_on("caliper",     when="+caliper")
 
     conflicts("+rx3d",        when="~python")
 
@@ -80,6 +82,9 @@ def cmake_options(spec_options):
         if "+legacy-unit" in spec:
             args.append('-DNRN_DYNAMIC_UNITS_USE_LEGACY=ON')
 
+        if "+caliper" in spec:
+            args.append('-DCORENRN_CALIPER_PROFILING=ON')
+
         return args
 
     @run_after("install")