diff --git a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/hpx/package.py b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/hpx/package.py
index 9bc4b27b14f..7fa83be0381 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/hpx/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/hpx/package.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class Hpx(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
         values=lambda x: isinstance(x, str) and (x.isdigit() or x == "auto"),
     )
 
-    instrumentation_values = ("apex", "google_perftools", "papi", "valgrind", "thread_debug")
+    instrumentation_values = ("google_perftools", "papi", "valgrind", "thread_debug")
     variant(
         "instrumentation",
         values=any_combination_of(*instrumentation_values),
@@ -93,10 +93,11 @@ class Hpx(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
     variant("examples", default=False, description="Build examples")
     variant("async_mpi", default=False, description="Enable MPI Futures.")
     variant("async_cuda", default=False, description="Enable CUDA Futures.")
+    variant("apex", default=False, description="Enable APEX support")
 
     # Build dependencies
     depends_on("cxx", type="build")
-
+    depends_on("apex", when="+apex")
     depends_on("python", type=("build", "test", "run"))
     depends_on("git", type="build")
     depends_on("cmake", type="build")
@@ -122,7 +123,6 @@ class Hpx(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
 
     depends_on("cuda", when="+async_cuda")
 
-    depends_on("otf2", when="instrumentation=apex")
     depends_on("gperftools", when="instrumentation=google_perftools")
     depends_on("papi", when="instrumentation=papi")
     depends_on("valgrind", when="instrumentation=valgrind")
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ class Hpx(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
 
     # Restrictions for 1.5.x
     conflicts("cxxstd=11", when="@1.5:")
+    depends_on("apex@2.3:", when="@1.5")
 
     # Restrictions for 1.2.X
     with when("@:1.2.1"):
@@ -211,8 +212,6 @@ class Hpx(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
     conflicts("~generic_coroutines", when="target=aarch64:", msg=_msg_generic_coroutines_target)
     conflicts("~generic_coroutines", when="target=arm:", msg=_msg_generic_coroutines_target)
 
-    # Patches APEX
-    patch("git_external.patch", when="@1.3.0 instrumentation=apex")
     patch("mimalloc_no_version_requirement.patch", when="@:1.8.0 malloc=mimalloc")
 
     def url_for_version(self, version):
@@ -242,6 +241,7 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             self.define_from_variant("HPX_WITH_EXAMPLES", "examples"),
             self.define_from_variant("HPX_WITH_ASYNC_MPI", "async_mpi"),
             self.define_from_variant("HPX_WITH_ASYNC_CUDA", "async_cuda"),
+            self.define_from_variant("HPX_WITH_APEX", "apex"),
             self.define("HPX_WITH_TESTS", self.run_tests),
             self.define("HPX_WITH_NETWORKING", "networking=none" not in spec),
             self.define("HPX_WITH_PARCELPORT_TCP", spec.satisfies("networking=tcp")),
@@ -278,14 +278,4 @@ def cmake_args(self):
                 self.define("HPX_WITH_LOGGING", True),
             ]
 
-        if spec.satisfies("instrumentation=apex"):
-            args += [
-                self.define("APEX_WITH_OTF2", True),
-                self.define("OTF2_ROOT", spec["otf2"].prefix),
-            ]
-
-            # it seems like there was a bug in the default version of APEX in 1.5.x
-            if spec.satisfies("@1.5"):
-                args += [self.define("HPX_WITH_APEX_TAG", "v2.3.0")]
-
         return args