diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/trilinos/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/trilinos/package.py
index 47e1fb1936f01672de7a6c97c15e72544af37152..3a456ee0932de4106d60e790154f72a868c0c2d3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/trilinos/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/trilinos/package.py
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ class Trilinos(CMakePackage):
 
     # MPI related dependencies
     depends_on('mpi')
-    depends_on('netcdf+mpi', when="~pnetcdf")
+    depends_on('netcdf@:4.7.1+mpi', when="~pnetcdf")
     depends_on('netcdf+mpi+parallel-netcdf', when="+pnetcdf@master,12.12.1:")
     depends_on('parallel-netcdf', when="+pnetcdf@master,12.12.1:")
     depends_on('parmetis', when='+metis')