diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/octopus/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/octopus/package.py
index 4a6bb6501f..5ce974edfa 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/octopus/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/octopus/package.py
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ def configure_args(self):
         if "+scalapack" in spec:
             args.extend(
                 [
-                    "--with-blacs=%s" % spec["scalapack"].libs,
-                    "--with-scalapack=%s" % spec["scalapack"].libs,
+                    f"--with-blacs={spec['scalapack'].libs.ld_flags}",
+                    f"--with-scalapack={spec['scalapack'].libs.ld_flags}",
                 ]
             )