diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/googletest/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/googletest/package.py
index 48dfcabb2f..849621c456 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/googletest/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/googletest/package.py
@@ -34,11 +34,18 @@ class Googletest(CMakePackage):
     version('1.7.0', '5eaf03ed925a47b37c8e1d559eb19bc4')
     version('1.6.0', '90407321648ab25b067fcd798caf8c78')
 
+    variant('gmock', default=False, description='Build with gmock')
+    conflicts('+gmock', when='@:1.7.0')
+
     def cmake_args(self):
         spec = self.spec
         if '@1.8.0:' in spec:
             # New style (contains both Google Mock and Google Test)
-            options = ['-DBUILD_GMOCK=OFF', '-DBUILD_GTEST=ON']
+            options = ['-DBUILD_GTEST=ON']
+            if '+gmock' in spec:
+                options.append('-DBUILD_GMOCK=ON')
+            else:
+                options.append('-DBUILD_GMOCK=OFF')
         else:
             # Old style (contains only GTest)
             options = []