diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
index 65276d92693..f9e0ed07397 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
@@ -145,6 +145,10 @@ def configure_args(self):
         if '+memory_profiling' in spec:
             config_args.append('--enable-memory-profiling')
 
+        # Set FPICFLAGS for compilers except 'gcc'.
+        if self.compiler.name != 'gcc':
+            config_args.append('FPICFLAGS={0}'.format(self.compiler.pic_flag))
+
         return config_args
 
     @run_after('install')