diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/binutils/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/binutils/package.py
index 1fea4f5b60d..4ad6ed809e3 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/binutils/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/binutils/package.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class Binutils(Package):
     depends_on('m4', type='build')
     depends_on('flex', type='build')
     depends_on('bison', type='build')
+    depends_on('gettext')
 
     # Add a patch that creates binutils libiberty_pic.a which is preferred by
     # OpenSpeedShop and cbtf-krell