diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/krb5/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/krb5/package.py
index 70c7b4aac4d..09836ab2be9 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/krb5/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/krb5/package.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class Krb5(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     version('1.16.1', '848e9b80d6aaaa798e3f3df24b83c407')
 
+    depends_on('bison', type='build')
     depends_on('openssl')
 
     configure_directory = 'src'