diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-csg/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-csg/package.py
index 5c827ad36dd..50dd0ed40e6 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-csg/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-csg/package.py
@@ -44,3 +44,4 @@ class VotcaCsg(CMakePackage):
     depends_on("votca-tools@1.4:1.4.999", when='@1.4:1.4.999')
     depends_on("votca-tools@develop", when='@develop')
     depends_on("gromacs~mpi@5.1:")
+    depends_on("hdf5~mpi")
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-tools/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-tools/package.py
index 8b1d37138ea..579df3c8c23 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-tools/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/votca-tools/package.py
@@ -47,3 +47,9 @@ class VotcaTools(CMakePackage):
     depends_on("eigen@3.3:", when="@1.5:")
     depends_on("boost")
     depends_on("sqlite")
+
+    def cmake_args(self):
+        args = [
+            '-DWITH_RC_FILES=OFF'
+        ]
+        return args