diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nettle/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nettle/package.py
index b4c873a8a180e676cfedea74043d59597f079c7e..7e2b758bc0161e3303b940e99631028f1a2b1c28 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nettle/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nettle/package.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class Nettle(Package):
     version('2.7', '2caa1bd667c35db71becb93c5d89737f')
 
     depends_on('gmp')
+    depends_on('m4', type='build')
 
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
         configure('--prefix={0}'.format(prefix))