diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/suite-sparse/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/suite-sparse/package.py
index 6b22e76f0e4..be52030057d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/suite-sparse/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/suite-sparse/package.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
         elif '%pgi' in spec:
             make_args += ['CFLAGS+=--exceptions']
 
-        if '%xl' in spec or '%xl_r' in spec:
+        if spack_f77.endswith('xlf') or spack_f77.endswith('xlf_r'):
             make_args += ['CFLAGS+=-DBLAS_NO_UNDERSCORE']
 
         # Intel TBB in SuiteSparseQR