diff --git a/repos/c2sm/packages/icon/package.py b/repos/c2sm/packages/icon/package.py
index 7b2b416cf1..56faca5d79 100755
--- a/repos/c2sm/packages/icon/package.py
+++ b/repos/c2sm/packages/icon/package.py
@@ -457,6 +457,7 @@ def configure_args(self):
                 ]
                 config_vars['CPPFLAGS'].append(xml2_headers.include_flags)
 
+        if '+coupling' in self.spec:
             libs += self.spec['libfyaml'].libs
 
         serialization = self.spec.variants['serialization'].value