diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/epics-base/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/epics-base/package.py
index d885ea7d205bb4..9aae46a46bea54 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/epics-base/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/epics-base/package.py
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@ class EpicsBase(MakefilePackage):
     depends_on("readline")
     depends_on("perl", type=("build", "run"))
 
+    def patch(self):
+        filter_file(r"^\s*CC\s*=.*", "CC = " + spack_cc, "configure/CONFIG.gnuCommon")
+        filter_file(r"^\s*CCC\s*=.*", "CCC = " + spack_cxx, "configure/CONFIG.gnuCommon")
+
     @property
     def install_targets(self):
         return ["INSTALL_LOCATION={0}".format(self.prefix), "install"]