diff --git a/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/py_nanobind/package.py b/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/py_nanobind/package.py
index a9dbe4101df..b7a3e04177d 100644
--- a/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/py_nanobind/package.py
+++ b/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/py_nanobind/package.py
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ class PyNanobind(PythonPackage):
     depends_on("py-setuptools@42:", when="@:2.0", type="build")
     depends_on("py-scikit-build", when="@:2.0", type="build")
     depends_on("py-typing-extensions", when="@2.0", type="build")
+
+    depends_on("gmake", type="build")
     depends_on("ninja", when="@2.0", type="build")
     depends_on("cmake@3.17:", when="@:2.0", type="build")