diff --git a/conf/real-from-ideal/jobs.yaml b/conf/real-from-ideal/jobs.yaml
index b40d3e96d92d507d59c3f7f30e1ae567fc5f1df7..2079a89fbde10be85fad67b8e835f6aa08fce0af 100644
--- a/conf/real-from-ideal/jobs.yaml
+++ b/conf/real-from-ideal/jobs.yaml
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ JOBS:
   # EXECUTABLE: /my_python_env/python3
   TRANSFER_PROJECT:
     FILE: templates/common/transfer_project.sh
-    EXPORT: platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
     PLATFORM: LOCAL
 
   BUILD_ICON:
@@ -65,7 +64,6 @@ JOBS:
     DEPENDENCIES: TRANSFER_PROJECT
     WALLCLOCK: 01:00
     PROCESSORS: 16
-    EXPORT: platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
 
   BUILD_PYTHON_ENVIRONMENT:
     FILE: templates/common/build_python_environment.sh
diff --git a/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh b/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
index 4c4b25167cffb5216fd838061c7fc68e872e540a..fab55d4d6ec77329be5874e34e532cfb71e4f35d 100644
--- a/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
+++ b/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
@@ -1,19 +1,9 @@
+# static settings when using spack
 function spack_env() {
-export SPACK_URL=%spack.url%
-export SPACK_BRANCH=%spack.branch%
-export SPACK_ROOT=%spack.root%
-export SPACK_COMPILER=%spack.compiler%
-export SPACK_DISABLE_LOCAL_CONFIG=%spack.disable_local_config%
-
-if [ ! -z "%spack.user_cache_path%" ]; then
-  echo "setting SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH=%spack.user_cache_path%"
-  export SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH=%spack.user_cache_path%
-fi
-
 export SPACK_SETUP_ENV=$SPACK_ROOT/share/spack/setup-env.sh
 }
 
-function install_spack() {
+function _install_spack() {
 spack_env
 
 if [ ! -f ${SPACK_ROOT} ]; then
@@ -32,8 +22,17 @@ fi
 }
 
 function load_spack() {
+export SPACK_ROOT=$1
+export SPACK_URL=$2
+export SPACK_BRANCH=$3
+export SPACK_COMPILER=$4
+export SPACK_DISABLE_LOCAL_CONFIG=$5
+export SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH=$6
+if [ ! -z "$SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH" ]; then
+  echo "setting SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH=$SPACK_USER_CACHE_PATH"
+fi
 spack_env
-if [ ! -f ${SPACK_ROOT} ]; then install_spack; fi
+if [ ! -f ${SPACK_ROOT} ]; then _install_spack; fi
 . ${SPACK_SETUP_ENV}
 }
 
diff --git a/templates/common/build_icon.sh b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
index 113848083516c892eb94f7b95f4bb342b50fcf28..65b638696c1a93fc9775d7973719f0fbc4304562 100644
--- a/templates/common/build_icon.sh
+++ b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ fi
 cd ${WORKDIR}
 
 . ${WORKDIR}/proj/platforms/common/spack_utils.sh
-load_spack
+load_spack "%spack.root%" "%spack.url%" "%spack.branch%" "%spack.compiler%" "%spack.disable_local_config%" "%spack.user_cache_path%"
 
 SPACK_BUILD_ICON=%icon.spack_cmd%
 if [ ! -z $SPACK_BUILD_ICON ]; then