diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
index 01e5bd958a4..7c85e6aa87f 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
@@ -3456,6 +3456,9 @@ def _dup(self, other: "Spec", deps: Union[bool, dt.DepTypes, dt.DepFlag] = True)
         self.name = other.name
         self.versions = other.versions.copy()
         self.architecture = other.architecture.copy() if other.architecture else None
+        if hasattr(other, "compiler_annotation"):
+            self.compiler_annotation = other.compiler_annotation
+
         self.compiler_flags = other.compiler_flags.copy()
         self.compiler_flags.spec = self
         self.variants = other.variants.copy()