diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
index b16a6d14ab8..448291cd29a 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/solver/asp.py
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ def package_compiler_defaults(self, pkg):
         """Facts about packages' compiler prefs."""
 
         packages = spack.config.get("packages")
-        pkg_prefs = packages.get(pkg)
+        pkg_prefs = packages.get(pkg.name)
         if not pkg_prefs or "compiler" not in pkg_prefs:
             return
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp b/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
index be1bd0ccc6c..22bb1dff3fa 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/solver/concretize.lp
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ compiler_version_match(Package, 1)
 #defined compiler_supports_os/3.
 #defined allow_compiler/2.
 
-% compilers weighted by preference acccording to packages.yaml
+% compilers weighted by preference according to packages.yaml
 compiler_weight(Package, Weight)
  :- node_compiler(Package, Compiler),
     node_compiler_version(Package, Compiler, V),
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize_preferences.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize_preferences.py
index 4d9cc9412bb..8de8773eb08 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize_preferences.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize_preferences.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def test_preferred_compilers(self):
         # Try the last available compiler
         compiler = str(compiler_list[-1])
         update_packages('mpileaks', 'compiler', [compiler])
-        spec = concretize('mpileaks os=redhat6 target=x86')
+        spec = concretize('mpileaks os=redhat6')
         assert spec.compiler == spack.spec.CompilerSpec(compiler)
 
     def test_preferred_target(self, mutable_mock_repo):