diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/expat/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/expat/package.py
index 8e992491d61..da3aa5b0eb6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/expat/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/expat/package.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def url_for_version(self, version):
 
     def configure_args(self):
         spec = self.spec
-        args = []
+        args = ['--without-docbook']
         if '+libbsd' in spec and '@2.2.1:' in spec:
-            args = ['--with-libbsd']
+            args.append('--with-libbsd')
         return args