diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pillow/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pillow/package.py
index 41b52de216e..c8e5a96f674 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pillow/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pillow/package.py
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ class PyPillow(Package):
 
     # Required dependencies
     extends('python')
-    # Known not to work with 2.23, 2.25
-    depends_on('binutils@2.26:', type='build')
+    depends_on('binutils', type='build')
     depends_on('py-setuptools', type='build')
 
     # Recommended dependencies
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-scipy/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-scipy/package.py
index 58e08888ff3..83a69c56821 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-scipy/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-scipy/package.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class PyScipy(Package):
 
     extends('python')
     depends_on('py-nose', type='build')
+    # Known not to work with 2.23, 2.25
     depends_on('binutils@2.26:', type='build')
     depends_on('py-numpy+blas+lapack', type=nolink)