diff --git a/projects/people.engr.tamu.edu/davis/suitesparse/package.yml b/projects/people.engr.tamu.edu/davis/suitesparse/package.yml
index ec73b5a082..6dbb98e659 100644
--- a/projects/people.engr.tamu.edu/davis/suitesparse/package.yml
+++ b/projects/people.engr.tamu.edu/davis/suitesparse/package.yml
@@ -69,8 +69,11 @@ provides:
 test:
   dependencies:
     freedesktop.org/pkg-config: "*"
+  env:
     linux:
-      llvm.org: "*"
+      CC: gcc
+    darwin:
+      CC: clang
   script:
     - pkg-config --modversion SuiteSparse_config | grep {{version}}
     # gha mac runners have broken SDKs...
@@ -80,5 +83,5 @@ test:
           exit 0
         fi
       if: darwin
-    - clang test.c -lsuitesparseconfig -lklu -o test -Wl,-rpath,{{pkgx.prefix}}
+    - $CC test.c -lsuitesparseconfig -lklu -o test -Wl,-rpath,{{pkgx.prefix}}
     - ./test