diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/help2man/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/help2man/package.py
index 6b000e7203f..8f07a29f75c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/help2man/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/help2man/package.py
@@ -18,5 +18,4 @@ class Help2man(AutotoolsPackage, GNUMirrorPackage):
     version('1.47.8', sha256='528f6a81ad34cbc76aa7dce5a82f8b3d2078ef065271ab81fda033842018a8dc')
     version('1.47.4', sha256='d4ecf697d13f14dd1a78c5995f06459bff706fd1ce593d1c02d81667c0207753')
 
-    depends_on('gettext', type='build')
     depends_on('perl', type=('build', 'run'))