diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dbcsr/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dbcsr/package.py
index 415b9fbb929..8f207fb99b0 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dbcsr/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dbcsr/package.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class Dbcsr(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
             " with cuda_arch=35 for a K20x instead of a K40"
         ),
     )
+    variant("examples", default=True, description="Build examples")
 
     variant("opencl", default=False, description="Enable OpenCL backend")
     variant("mpi_f08", default=False, when="@2.6:", description="Use mpi F08 module")
@@ -69,6 +70,9 @@ class Dbcsr(CMakePackage, CudaPackage, ROCmPackage):
 
     depends_on("opencl", when="+opencl")
 
+    # All examples require MPI
+    conflicts("+examples", when="~mpi", msg="Examples require MPI")
+
     # We only support specific gpu archs for which we have parameter files
     # for optimal kernels. Note that we don't override the parent class arch
     # properties, since the parent class defines constraints for different archs
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             "-DLAPACK_FOUND=true",
             "-DLAPACK_LIBRARIES=%s" % (spec["lapack"].libs.joined(";")),
             self.define_from_variant("BUILD_SHARED_LIBS", "shared"),
+            self.define_from_variant("WITH_EXAMPLES", "examples"),
         ]
 
         # Switch necessary as a result of a bug.