diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libnrm/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libnrm/package.py
index ea4d151f7e8..27c3c8e34ec 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libnrm/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libnrm/package.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class Libnrm(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on('autoconf', type='build')
     depends_on('automake', type='build')
     depends_on('libtool', type='build')
+    depends_on('pkgconfig', type='build')
 
     depends_on('libzmq')
     depends_on('mpich')