diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dftfe/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dftfe/package.py
index d6495915ca7..247d08bb936 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dftfe/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/dftfe/package.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             "-DSPGLIB_DIR={0}".format(spec["spglib"].prefix),
         ]
 
-        if spec.satisfies("^intel-mkl"):
+        if spec.satisfies("^[virtuals=scalapack] intel-oneapi-mkl"):
             args.append("-DWITH_INTEL_MKL=ON")
         else:
             args.append("-DWITH_INTEL_MKL=OFF")