diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/giflib/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/giflib/package.py
index 795dc3a625d..4338a2f8bfb 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/giflib/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/giflib/package.py
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ def install_targets(self):
         targets = ['install'] + self.prefix_and_libversion_args()
         return targets
 
+    @property
+    def libs(self):
+        return (find_libraries(['libgif'], root=self.prefix.lib) or
+                find_libraries(['libgif'], root=self.prefix.lib64))
+
     def check(self):
         make('check', parallel=False)