diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
index 5b0f9f789db65c..283fad25830668 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/modules/tcl.py
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ def test_autoload_direct(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
         module_configuration("autoload_direct")
         content = modulefile_content(mpileaks_spec_string)
 
+        assert (
+            len([x for x in content if "if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {" in x])
+            == 1
+        )
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 2
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 2
 
         # dtbuild1 has
@@ -46,6 +51,11 @@ def test_autoload_direct(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
         # Just make sure the 'build' dependency is not there
         content = modulefile_content("dtbuild1")
 
+        assert (
+            len([x for x in content if "if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {" in x])
+            == 1
+        )
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 2
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 2
 
         # The configuration file sets the verbose keyword to False
@@ -58,6 +68,11 @@ def test_autoload_all(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
         module_configuration("autoload_all")
         content = modulefile_content(mpileaks_spec_string)
 
+        assert (
+            len([x for x in content if "if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {" in x])
+            == 1
+        )
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 5
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 5
 
         # dtbuild1 has
@@ -67,6 +82,11 @@ def test_autoload_all(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
         # Just make sure the 'build' dependency is not there
         content = modulefile_content("dtbuild1")
 
+        assert (
+            len([x for x in content if "if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {" in x])
+            == 1
+        )
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 2
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 2
 
     def test_prerequisites_direct(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
@@ -103,6 +123,7 @@ def test_alter_environment(self, modulefile_content, module_configuration):
         assert len([x for x in content if x.startswith("prepend-path CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH")]) == 0
         assert len([x for x in content if 'setenv FOO "foo"' in x]) == 0
         assert len([x for x in content if "unsetenv BAR" in x]) == 0
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on foo/bar" in x]) == 1
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load foo/bar" in x]) == 1
         assert len([x for x in content if "setenv LIBDWARF_ROOT" in x]) == 1
 
@@ -434,10 +455,16 @@ def test_autoload_with_constraints(self, modulefile_content, module_configuratio
 
         # Test the mpileaks that should have the autoloaded dependencies
         content = modulefile_content("mpileaks ^mpich2")
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 2
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 2
 
         # Test the mpileaks that should NOT have the autoloaded dependencies
         content = modulefile_content("mpileaks ^mpich")
+        assert (
+            len([x for x in content if "if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {" in x])
+            == 0
+        )
+        assert len([x for x in content if "depends-on " in x]) == 0
         assert len([x for x in content if "module load " in x]) == 0
 
     def test_modules_no_arch(self, factory, module_configuration):
diff --git a/share/spack/templates/modules/modulefile.tcl b/share/spack/templates/modules/modulefile.tcl
index 577c40e47c5d63..52d987da61b136 100644
--- a/share/spack/templates/modules/modulefile.tcl
+++ b/share/spack/templates/modules/modulefile.tcl
@@ -26,9 +26,17 @@ proc ModulesHelp { } {
 {% endblock %}
 
 {% block autoloads %}
+{% if autoload|length > 0 %}
+if {![info exists ::env(LMOD_VERSION_MAJOR)]} {
 {% for module in autoload %}
-module load {{ module }}
+    module load {{ module }}
 {% endfor %}
+} else {
+{% for module in autoload %}
+    depends-on {{ module }}
+{% endfor %}
+}
+{% endif %}
 {% endblock %}
 {#  #}
 {% block prerequisite %}