diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ctpl/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ctpl/package.py
index 647394151ed..30feef53187 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ctpl/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/ctpl/package.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class Ctpl(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on('automake', type='build')
     depends_on('libtool',  type='build')
     depends_on('m4',       type='build')
+    depends_on('gettext',  type='build')
     depends_on('gtk-doc')
     depends_on('glib@2.10:')