diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/core.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/core.py
index f4553c4574d..6b251ba5129 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/core.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/core.py
@@ -1181,7 +1181,8 @@ def test_conditional_provides_or_depends_on(self):
         s = Spec("conditional-provider +disable-v1").concretized()
         assert "v1-provider" in s
         assert s["v1"].name == "v1-provider"
-        assert s["v2"].name == "conditional-provider"
+        assert s.package.provides("v2")
+        assert "v2" not in s
 
     @pytest.mark.regression("20079")
     @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/preferences.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/preferences.py
index b318cdf0b2d..1931130d9a9 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/preferences.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/concretization/preferences.py
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def test_external_mpi(self):
         # make sure this doesn't give us an external first.
         spec = Spec("mpi")
         spec.concretize()
-        assert not spec["mpi"].external
+        assert not spec.external and spec.package.provides("mpi")
 
         # load config
         conf = syaml.load_config(
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def mock_module(cmd, module):
 
         spec = Spec("mpi")
         spec.concretize()
-        assert not spec["mpi"].external
+        assert not spec.external and spec.package.provides("mpi")
 
         # load config
         conf = syaml.load_config(