diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/spark/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/spark/package.py
index 3bc6abd234c..e955a759852 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/spark/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/spark/package.py
@@ -22,10 +22,11 @@
 # License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
-from spack import *
-
+import re
 import shutil
 
+from spack import *
+
 
 class Spark(Package):
     """Apache Spark is a fast and general engine
@@ -72,4 +73,8 @@ def setup_environment(self, spack_env, run_env):
         hadoop = self.spec['hadoop'].command
         hadoop_classpath = hadoop('classpath', return_output=True)
 
+        # Remove whitespaces, as they can compromise syntax in
+        # module files
+        hadoop_classpath = re.sub('[\s+]', '', hadoop_classpath)
+
         run_env.set('SPARK_DIST_CLASSPATH', hadoop_classpath)