diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/abinit/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/abinit/package.py
index 7590f66ac00..b35f680d855 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/abinit/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/abinit/package.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def configure_args(self):
             hdf5 = spec['hdf5:hl']
             netcdff = spec['netcdf-fortran:shared']
             options.extend([
-                '--with-netcdf-incs={0}'.format(netcdff.headers.cpp_flags),
+                '--with-netcdf-incs=-I{0}'.format(netcdff.prefix.include),
                 '--with-netcdf-libs={0}'.format(
                     netcdff.libs.ld_flags + ' ' + hdf5.libs.ld_flags
                 ),