diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/adios/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/adios/package.py
index 06e31f40255..fb9fef060dc 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/adios/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/adios/package.py
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
 ##############################################################################
 
 from spack import *
-import os
 
 
 class Adios(Package):
@@ -121,7 +120,7 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
         if '+hdf5' in spec:
             extra_args.append('--with-hdf5=%s' % spec['hdf5'].prefix)
         if '+netcdf' in spec:
-            extra_args.append('--with-netcdf=%s' % os.environ["NETCDF_DIR"])
+            extra_args.append('--with-netcdf=%s' % spec['netcdf'].prefix)
 
         sh = which('sh')
         sh('./autogen.sh')