diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/compiler.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/compiler.py
index ddeed417132..4c5078ba6bd 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/compiler.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/compiler.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def compiler_find(args):
     # Just let compiler_find do the
     # entire process and return an empty config from all_compilers
     # Default for any other process is init_config=True
-    compilers = [c for c in spack.compilers.find_compilers(*paths)]
+    compilers = [c for c in spack.compilers.find_compilers(paths)]
     new_compilers = []
     for c in compilers:
         arch_spec = ArchSpec(None, c.operating_system, c.target)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
index e7a7f1d5895..bb0e431b5e7 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
@@ -185,19 +185,19 @@ def all_compiler_specs(scope=None, init_config=True):
             for s in all_compilers_config(scope, init_config)]
 
 
-def find_compilers(*path_hints):
+def find_compilers(path_hints=None):
     """Returns the list of compilers found in the paths given as arguments.
 
     Args:
-        *path_hints: list of path hints where to look for. If none is
-            given a sensible default based on the ``PATH`` environment
-            variable will be used
+        path_hints (list or None): list of path hints where to look for.
+            A sensible default based on the ``PATH`` environment variable
+            will be used if the value is None
 
     Returns:
         List of compilers found
     """
-    # Turn the path hints into real paths that are to be searched
-    path_hints = path_hints or get_path('PATH')
+    if path_hints is None:
+        path_hints = get_path('PATH')
     default_paths = fs.search_paths_for_executables(*path_hints)
 
     # To detect the version of the compilers, we dispatch a certain number
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index 4cca72c6cfb..fd580376df1 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ def bootstrap_compiler(self, **kwargs):
             dep.concretize()
             dep.package.do_install(**kwargs)
             spack.compilers.add_compilers_to_config(
-                spack.compilers.find_compilers(dep.prefix)
+                spack.compilers.find_compilers([dep.prefix])
             )
 
     def do_install(self, **kwargs):