diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/sqlite/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/sqlite/package.py
index a9feadedb28..4b3b3734898 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/sqlite/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/sqlite/package.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ def build_libsqlitefunctions(self):
             libraryname = "libsqlitefunctions." + dso_suffix
             cc = Executable(spack_cc)
             cc(
-                self.compiler.cc_pic_flag,
+                self.pkg.compiler.cc_pic_flag,
                 "-lm",
                 "-shared",
                 "extension-functions.c",