diff --git a/templates/common/build_icon.sh b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
index 460d98d63efc51404392847b8687673c226e23fc..e455295d6c59e15da4c9af88eb952c4ebc88aa1a 100644
--- a/templates/common/build_icon.sh
+++ b/templates/common/build_icon.sh
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ if [ ! -z "$SPACK_BUILD_ICON" ]; then
   else
     spack repo add ${WORKDIR}/production_project/spack_repo
   fi
-  spack spec $SPACK_BUILD_ICON
+
   spack install --reuse $SPACK_BUILD_ICON
   #TODO: had some problems with spack load when more than one version is available, adding --first to overcome that
   # although in principle we should not install the model if its already installed.
@@ -71,6 +71,6 @@ if [ ! -f "${definitions_tar_file}" ]; then
   echo "export ECCODES_DEFINITION_PATH=${WORKDIR}/definitions.edzw-${eccodes_version}-1" >eccodes_defs.env
 
   ECCODES_PATH=$( spack find -p eccodes%${COMPILER} | grep -i $USER | cut -d" " -f 3 )
-  echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${ECCODES_PATH}/lib:\${LD_LIBRARY_PATH}" >> eccodes_defs.env
+  echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${ECCODES_PATH}/lib:\${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:-}" >> eccodes_defs.env
 
 fi