diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/concretize.py b/lib/spack/spack/concretize.py
index 8083f919828..2e576743ec6 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/concretize.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/concretize.py
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ def concretize_compiler(self, spec):
             return False
 
         #Find the another spec that has a compiler, or the root if none do
-        other_spec = find_spec(spec, lambda(x) : x.compiler)
+        other_spec = spec if spec.compiler else find_spec(spec, lambda(x) : x.compiler)
         if not other_spec:
             other_spec = spec.root
         other_compiler = other_spec.compiler
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ def find_spec(spec, condition):
     if condition(spec):
         return spec
 
-    return None   # Nohting matched the condition.
+    return None   # Nothing matched the condition.
 
 
 def cmp_specs(lhs, rhs):
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize.py
index f264faf17a2..08cce096747 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretize.py
@@ -309,3 +309,10 @@ def test_find_spec_none(self):
                       Spec('d')),
                  Spec('e'))
         self.assertEqual(None, find_spec(s['b'], lambda s: '+foo' in s))
+
+
+    def test_compiler_child(self):
+        s = Spec('mpileaks%clang ^dyninst%gcc')
+        s.concretize()
+        self.assertTrue(s['mpileaks'].satisfies('%clang'))
+        self.assertTrue(s['dyninst'].satisfies('%gcc'))