diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/erlang/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/erlang/package.py
index f1fc027ae09..02d097fbd30 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/erlang/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/erlang/package.py
@@ -27,3 +27,4 @@ class Erlang(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on('automake', type='build')
     depends_on('m4', type='build')
     depends_on('libtool', type='build')
+    depends_on('ncurses', type='link')