diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
index 6081911e4a0c99d59104f973a04291b3e2c312b0..17495dda390f6a8413b7aadc15f662776a08fb72 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/qt/package.py
@@ -363,7 +363,6 @@ def patch(self):
     @property
     def common_config_args(self):
         # incomplete list is here http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/configure-options.html
-        openssl = self.spec['openssl']
         config_args = [
             '-prefix', self.prefix,
             '-v',
@@ -389,6 +388,7 @@ def common_config_args(self):
             config_args.append('-no-freetype')
 
         if '+ssl' in self.spec:
+            openssl = self.spec['openssl']
             config_args.extend([
                 '-openssl-linked',
                 openssl.libs.search_flags,