diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nfs-utils/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nfs-utils/package.py
index be46c57030b..c8d105a882e 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nfs-utils/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nfs-utils/package.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class NfsUtils(AutotoolsPackage):
     version('2.4.1', sha256='c0dda96318af554881f4eb1590bfe91f1aba2fba59ed2ac3ba099f80fdf838e9')
     version('2.3.4', sha256='36e70b0a583751ead0034ebe5d8826caf2dcc7ee7c0beefe94d6ee5a3b0b2484')
 
+    depends_on('pkgconfig', type='build')
     depends_on('libtirpc')
     depends_on('libevent')
     depends_on('libdmx')