diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openblas/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openblas/package.py
index 61250fb310e..52edd1a77a4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openblas/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/openblas/package.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def check_install(self, spec):
             # TODO: Automate these path and library settings
             cc('-c', "-I%s" % join_path(spec.prefix, "include"), "check.c")
             cc('-o', "check", "check.o",
-               "-L%s" % join_path(spec.prefix, "lib"), "-llapack", "-lblas")
+               "-L%s" % join_path(spec.prefix, "lib"), "-llapack", "-lblas", "-lpthread")
             try:
                 check = Executable('./check')
                 output = check(return_output=True)