diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
index 69b9866c76c..1309e42fea6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ class NetlibLapack(CMakePackage):
     provides("lapack")
 
     depends_on("c", type="build")
+    depends_on("cxx", type="build")
     depends_on("fortran", type="build")
     depends_on("blas", when="+external-blas")
     depends_on("netlib-xblas+fortran+plain_blas", when="+xblas")