diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/url.py b/lib/spack/spack/url.py
index 9043a5ad3ee..85311ba64ca 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/url.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/url.py
@@ -266,11 +266,11 @@ def parse_version_offset(path, debug=False):
     raise UndetectableVersionError(original_path)
 
 
-def parse_version(path):
+def parse_version(path, debug=False):
     """Given a URL or archive name, extract a version from it and return
        a version object.
     """
-    ver, start, l = parse_version_offset(path)
+    ver, start, l = parse_version_offset(path, debug=debug)
     return Version(ver)