diff --git a/gnu/packages/maths.scm b/gnu/packages/maths.scm
index edbbdfffb7..6387f71582 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/maths.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/maths.scm
@@ -479,7 +479,10 @@ (define-public arpack-ng-openmpi
     (inputs
      `(("mpi" ,openmpi)
        ,@(package-inputs arpack-ng)))
-    (arguments `(#:configure-flags '("--enable-mpi")))
+    (arguments
+     (substitute-keyword-arguments (package-arguments arpack-ng)
+       ((#:configure-flags _ '())
+        ''("--enable-mpi"))))
     (synopsis "Fortran subroutines for solving eigenvalue problems with MPI")))
 
 (define-public lapack