diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pdt/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pdt/package.py
index 6d246a9b70..2d099b8dff 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pdt/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/pdt/package.py
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ def configure(self, spec, prefix):
             options.append('-icpc')
         elif self.compiler.name == 'pgi':
             options.append('-pgCC')
+        elif self.compiler.name == 'gcc':
+            options.append('-GNU')
+        else:
+            raise InstallError('Unknown/unsupported compiler family')
 
         configure(*options)