diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ants/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ants/package.py
index 6c3c2232afd..caf63d8f4b7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ants/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ants/package.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Ants(CMakePackage):
 
     def cmake_args(self):
         return [
+            "-DBUILD_TESTING=OFF",  # needed for <= 2.3.5 due to ANTs/#1236
             self.define_from_variant('ITK_BUILD_MINC_SUPPORT', 'minc')
         ]