diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py b/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
index da3441fa13..435ecfdf4d 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
@@ -200,8 +200,7 @@ def relative_path_for_spec(self, spec):
             spec.version,
             spec.dag_hash(self.hash_len))
 
-        path = join_path(
-            spec.target,
+        path = join_path(spec.architecture,
             "%s-%s" % (spec.compiler.name, spec.compiler.version),
             dir_name)