diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/platforms/darwin.py b/lib/spack/spack/platforms/darwin.py
index c2d6bbb281..e0393aab57 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/platforms/darwin.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/platforms/darwin.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 import spack.target
 from spack.operating_systems.mac_os import MacOs
+from spack.version import Version
 
 from ._platform import Platform
 
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ def setup_platform_environment(self, pkg, env):
         """
 
         os = self.operating_sys[pkg.spec.os]
-        version = os.version
+        version = Version(os.version)
         if len(version) == 1:
             # Version has only one component: add a minor version to prevent
             # potential errors with `ld`,