diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/opencv/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/opencv/package.py
index 9b16218d390..58110998851 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/opencv/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/opencv/package.py
@@ -492,6 +492,7 @@ class Opencv(CMakePackage, CudaPackage):
 
     with when("+hdf"):
         depends_on("hdf5")
+        depends_on("mpi", when="^hdf5+mpi")
 
     with when("+hfs"):
         with when("+cuda"):