diff --git a/packages/nest/package.py b/packages/nest/package.py
index e14b2de78317edb426c4a36ae0980f060fcb2f26..32a6bdcb3065ace02804a395f8e97b4890334ecb 100644
--- a/packages/nest/package.py
+++ b/packages/nest/package.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: (Apache-2.0 OR MIT)
 
 from spack import *
+import re
 
 
 class Nest(CMakePackage):
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ class Nest(CMakePackage):
     version('master', branch='master')
     version('3.7',    sha256='b313e03aa05a0d8053b895a1d14ea42e75805393c6daa0cbc62f9398d0dacd8b')
     version('3.6',    sha256='68d6b11791e1284dc94fef35d84c08dd7a11322c0f1e1fc9b39c5e6882284922')
-    patch('nest-simulator-3.6-p1-CxxRealPath.patch', when='@3.6')
+    patch('nest-simulator-3.6-p1-CxxRealPath.patch', when='@3.2:')
     version('3.5',    sha256='3cdf5720854a4d8a7d359f9de9d2fb3619a0be2e36932028d6940360741547bd')
     version('3.4',    sha256='c56699111f899045ba48e55e87d14eca8763b48ebbb3648beee701a36aa3af20')
     version('3.3',    sha256='179462b966cc61f5785d2fee770bc36f86745598ace9cd97dd620622b62043ed')
@@ -237,6 +238,10 @@ class Nest(CMakePackage):
         # test inspired by py-numpy spack package
         with working_dir('spack-test', create=True):
             python('-c', 'from pprint import pprint; import nest; pprint(nest.get())')
+        # test to check the output of "nest-config --compiler"
+        nest_config = Executable(self.prefix.bin + '/nest-config')
+        out = nest_config('--compiler', output=str.split, error=str.split)
+        check_outputs(re.escape(self.compiler.cxx), out)
 
     @when('@2.11.0:')
     @run_after('build')