diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
index 17f206d81b99829ee957e6f2fb2048d59e1f078a..83d92bd5020d76244f50d4ee5e8f589bade5cb91 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/spec.py
@@ -2311,7 +2311,7 @@ def write(s, c):
                 elif named_str == 'COMPILERNAME':
                     if self.compiler:
                         write(fmt % self.compiler.name, '%')
-                elif named_str == 'COMPILERVER':
+                elif named_str in ['COMPILERVER', 'COMPILERVERSION']:
                     if self.compiler:
                         write(fmt % self.compiler.versions, '%')
                 elif named_str == 'COMPILERFLAGS':