diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
index b3fd376832f..de77330983f 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/portage/package.py
@@ -48,4 +48,7 @@ def cmake_args(self):
         else:
             options.append('-DENABLE_MPI=OFF')
 
+        options.append("-DLAPACKE_LIBRARIES=" +
+                       self.spec["lapack"].libs.joined(";"))
+
         return options