diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bison/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bison/package.py
index afb40861911..1ad363f747a 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bison/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/bison/package.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class Bison(AutotoolsPackage, GNUMirrorPackage):
 
     provides("yacc")
 
+    depends_on("gettext", when="@3.4:")
     depends_on("diffutils", type="build")
     depends_on("m4", type=("build", "run"))
     depends_on("perl", type="build")