diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
index 9d1991fd5a8..fec55e212a6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/netlib-lapack/package.py
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ def cmake_args(self):
             # use F77 compiler if IBM XL
             args.extend(
                 [
-                    self.define("CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER", self.compiler.f77),
+                    self.define("CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER", self.pkg.compiler.f77),
                     self.define(
                         "CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS",
                         " ".join(self.spec.compiler_flags["fflags"]) + " -O3 -qnohot",