diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rmlab/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rmlab/package.py
index 2fa927a1acb10cdc65a905a6749b04d49623de93..d089393ab4728d01bffaf0decc1876515013488d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rmlab/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/rmlab/package.py
@@ -47,3 +47,12 @@ class Rmlab(CMakePackage):
     conflicts('%pgi@:14')
 
     depends_on('pngwriter@0.6.0:', when='+png')
+
+    def cmake_args(self):
+        spec = self.spec
+
+        args = [
+            '-DRmlab_USE_PNG={0}'.format(
+                'ON' if '+png' in spec else 'OFF')
+        ]
+        return args