diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gtkplus/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gtkplus/package.py
index 4d4e5e34825..9d6c5331a30 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gtkplus/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/gtkplus/package.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class Gtkplus(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on('inputproto', when='@3:')
     depends_on('fixesproto', when='@3:')
     depends_on('at-spi2-atk', when='@3:')
+    depends_on('gettext', when='@3:')
 
     patch('no-demos.patch', when='@2:2.99')