diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libtool/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libtool/package.py
index 6e164dbcbd..d5926669e4 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libtool/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libtool/package.py
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@ class Libtool(AutotoolsPackage, GNUMirrorPackage):
 
     depends_on("m4@1.4.6:", type="build")
 
+    # the following are places in which libtool depends on findutils
+    # https://github.com/autotools-mirror/libtool/blob/v2.4.7/build-aux/ltmain.in#L3296
+    # https://github.com/autotools-mirror/libtool/blob/v2.4.6/build-aux/ltmain.in#L3278
+    # https://github.com/autotools-mirror/libtool/blob/v2.4.2/libltdl/config/ltmain.m4sh#L3028
+    depends_on("findutils", type="run")
+
     with when("@2.4.2"):
         depends_on("autoconf", type="build")
         depends_on("automake", type="build")