diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rsync/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rsync/package.py
index 67367a2a36..e223150cfe 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rsync/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rsync/package.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
 
 from spack import *
+import re
 
 
 class Rsync(AutotoolsPackage):
@@ -25,5 +26,13 @@ class Rsync(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     conflicts('%nvhpc')
 
+    executables = ['^rsync$']
+
+    @classmethod
+    def determine_version(cls, exe):
+        output = Executable(exe)('--version', output=str, error=str)
+        match = re.search(r'rsync\s+version\s+(\S+)', output)
+        return match.group(1) if match else None
+
     def configure_args(self):
         return ['--with-included-zlib=no']