diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-cython/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-cython/package.py
index 42282d5152..53b3a6e45b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-cython/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-cython/package.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class PyCython(PythonPackage):
 
     depends_on('python@2.6:2.8,3.3:', when='@0.23:', type=('build', 'run'))
     depends_on('python@:2', when='@:0.22', type=('build', 'run'))
-    depends_on('py-setuptools', type='build')
+    depends_on('py-setuptools', type=('build', 'run'))
     depends_on('gdb@7.2:', type='test')
 
     @property