diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ncurses/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ncurses/package.py
index 0a8d597b7fc..0d305167ea3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ncurses/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ncurses/package.py
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ def configure(self, spec, prefix):
         ]
 
         nwide_opts = ['--without-manpages',
-                      '--without-progs',
                       '--without-tests']
 
         wide_opts = ['--enable-widec']