diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/hdf5/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/hdf5/package.py
index be49216e18e..a7f267d8109 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/hdf5/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/hdf5/package.py
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ class Hdf5(CMakePackage):
     variant("hl", default=False, description="Enable the high-level library")
     variant("cxx", default=False, description="Enable C++ support")
     variant("map", when="@1.14:", default=False, description="Enable MAP API support")
-    variant("subfiling", when="@1.14:", default=False, description="Enable Subfiling VFD support")
+    variant(
+        "subfiling", when="@1.14: +mpi", default=False, description="Enable Subfiling VFD support"
+    )
     variant("fortran", default=False, description="Enable Fortran support")
     variant("java", when="@1.10:", default=False, description="Enable Java support")
     variant("threadsafe", default=False, description="Enable thread-safe capabilities")