diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ocaml/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ocaml/package.py
index 94e0fd5817d..1dd696c6de8 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ocaml/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ocaml/package.py
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ def install(self, spec, prefix):
                     string=True,
                 )
 
-        configure(*(base_args), f"CC={self.compiler.cc}")
+        if self.spec.satisfies("@4.8.0:"):
+            base_args += [f"CC={self.compiler.cc}"]
+
+        configure(*(base_args))
 
         make("world.opt")
         make("install", "PREFIX={0}".format(prefix))