diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/cmake.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/cmake.py
index acdfa66ea2..5d70994bd4 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/cmake.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/cmake.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import inspect
 import os
 import platform
+import re
 
 import spack.build_environment
 from llnl.util.filesystem import working_dir
@@ -14,6 +15,19 @@
 from spack.directives import depends_on, variant
 from spack.package import PackageBase, InstallError, run_after
 
+# Regex to extract the primary generator from the CMake generator
+# string.
+_primary_generator_extractor = re.compile(r'(?:.* - )?(.*)')
+
+
+def _extract_primary_generator(generator):
+    """Use the compiled regex _primary_generator_extractor to extract the
+    primary generator from the generator string which may contain an
+    optional secondary generator.
+    """
+    primary_generator = _primary_generator_extractor.match(generator).group(1)
+    return primary_generator
+
 
 class CMakePackage(PackageBase):
     """Specialized class for packages built using CMake
@@ -42,6 +56,17 @@ class CMakePackage(PackageBase):
         +-----------------------------------------------+--------------------+
 
 
+    The generator used by CMake can be specified by providing the
+    generator attribute. Per
+    https://cmake.org/cmake/help/git-master/manual/cmake-generators.7.html,
+    the format is: [<secondary-generator> - ]<primary_generator>. The
+    full list of primary and secondary generators supported by CMake may
+    be found in the documentation for the version of CMake used;
+    however, at this time Spack supports only the primary generators
+    "Unix Makefiles" and "Ninja." Spack's CMake support is agnostic with
+    respect to primary generators. Spack will generate a runtime error
+    if the generator string does not follow the prescribed format, or if
+    the primary generator is not supported.
     """
     #: Phases of a CMake package
     phases = ['cmake', 'build', 'install']
@@ -108,11 +133,13 @@ def _std_args(pkg):
             generator = 'Unix Makefiles'
 
         # Make sure a valid generator was chosen
-        valid_generators = ['Unix Makefiles', 'Ninja']
-        if generator not in valid_generators:
+        valid_primary_generators = ['Unix Makefiles', 'Ninja']
+        primary_generator = _extract_primary_generator(generator)
+        if primary_generator not in valid_primary_generators:
             msg  = "Invalid CMake generator: '{0}'\n".format(generator)
             msg += "CMakePackage currently supports the following "
-            msg += "generators: '{0}'".format("', '".join(valid_generators))
+            msg += "primary generators: '{0}'".\
+                   format("', '".join(valid_primary_generators))
             raise InstallError(msg)
 
         try:
@@ -124,9 +151,11 @@ def _std_args(pkg):
             '-G', generator,
             '-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX:PATH={0}'.format(pkg.prefix),
             '-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:STRING={0}'.format(build_type),
-            '-DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=ON'
         ]
 
+        if primary_generator == 'Unix Makefiles':
+            args.append('-DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE:BOOL=ON')
+
         if platform.mac_ver()[0]:
             args.extend([
                 '-DCMAKE_FIND_FRAMEWORK:STRING=LAST',
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/build_systems.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/build_systems.py
index 1932d1bbc2..fb9117bc0c 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/build_systems.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/build_systems.py
@@ -115,6 +115,23 @@ def test_cmake_std_args(config, mock_packages):
     assert get_std_cmake_args(pkg)
 
 
+def test_cmake_bad_generator(config, mock_packages):
+    s = Spec('cmake-client')
+    s.concretize()
+    pkg = spack.repo.get(s)
+    pkg.generator = 'Yellow Sticky Notes'
+    with pytest.raises(spack.package.InstallError):
+        get_std_cmake_args(pkg)
+
+
+def test_cmake_secondary_generator(config, mock_packages):
+    s = Spec('cmake-client')
+    s.concretize()
+    pkg = spack.repo.get(s)
+    pkg.generator = 'CodeBlocks - Unix Makefiles'
+    assert get_std_cmake_args(pkg)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('config', 'mock_packages')
 class TestAutotoolsPackage(object):