diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
index 8cfe4c395dd..070493ed117 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/r/package.py
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ class R(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on("zlib-api")
     depends_on("zlib@1.2.5:", when="^[virtuals=zlib-api] zlib")
     depends_on("texinfo", type="build")
+    depends_on("gettext")
 
     with when("+X"):
         depends_on("cairo+X+gobject+pdf")
@@ -197,6 +198,8 @@ def configure_args(self):
             "ac_cv_path_TEXI2DVI=",
         ]
 
+        config_args.append("--with-libintl-prefix={0}".format(spec["gettext"].prefix))
+
         if "+X" in spec:
             config_args.append("--with-cairo")
             config_args.append("--with-jpeglib")