diff --git a/env/rhel7/x86_64/sysconfigs/packages.yaml b/env/rhel7/x86_64/sysconfigs/packages.yaml
index 944351f..c2222f4 100644
--- a/env/rhel7/x86_64/sysconfigs/packages.yaml
+++ b/env/rhel7/x86_64/sysconfigs/packages.yaml
@@ -151,7 +151,9 @@ packages:
     require: '%gcc'
   openmpi:
     require:
-      - schedulers=slurm fabrics=auto pmi-interface=pmi2 +cxx +cxx_exceptions +cuda +legacylaunchers
+      - spec: schedulers=slurm fabrics=auto pmi-interface=pmi2 +cxx +cuda +legacylaunchers
+      - spec: '+cxx_exceptions'
+        when: '%gcc'
   openssh:
     require: '%gcc@4.8.5'
   openssl: