diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/cppzmq/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/cppzmq/package.py
index 952a1611ab..2d5191c0cd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/cppzmq/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/cppzmq/package.py
@@ -25,3 +25,10 @@ class Cppzmq(CMakePackage):
     depends_on('cmake@3.0.0:', type='build')
     depends_on('libzmq')
     depends_on('libzmq@4.2.2', when='@4.2.2:4.2.3')
+
+    def cmake_args(self):
+        args = []
+        # https://github.com/zeromq/cppzmq/issues/422
+        # https://github.com/zeromq/cppzmq/pull/288
+        args.append('-DCPPZMQ_BUILD_TESTS=OFF')
+        return args