diff --git a/gnu/packages/mpi.scm b/gnu/packages/mpi.scm
index f24da7b661..3337054223 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/mpi.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/mpi.scm
@@ -143,6 +143,18 @@ bind processes, and much more.")
                            ,(string-append "--with-hwloc="
                                            (assoc-ref %build-inputs "hwloc")))
        #:phases (modify-phases %standard-phases
+                  (add-before 'build 'remove-absolute
+                    ;; Remove compiler absolute file names (OPAL_FC_ABSOLUTE
+                    ;; etc.) to reduce the closure size.  See
+                    ;; <https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2017-07/msg00388.html>
+                    ;; and
+                    ;; <https://www.mail-archive.com/users@lists.open-mpi.org//msg31397.html>.
+                    (lambda _
+                      (substitute* '("orte/tools/orte-info/param.c"
+                                     "oshmem/tools/oshmem_info/param.c"
+                                     "ompi/tools/ompi_info/param.c")
+                        (("_ABSOLUTE") ""))
+                      #t))
                   (add-before 'build 'scrub-timestamps ;reproducibility
                     (lambda _
                       (substitute* '("ompi/tools/ompi_info/param.c"