diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-h5py/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-h5py/package.py
index 94dd8d6986..3375b762a9 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-h5py/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-h5py/package.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class PyH5py(PythonPackage):
     depends_on('py-cython@0.19:', type='build')
     depends_on('py-pkgconfig', type='build')
     depends_on('py-setuptools', type='build')
-    depends_on('hdf5@1.8.4:')
+    depends_on('hdf5@1.8.4:+hl')
     depends_on('hdf5+mpi', when='+mpi')
     depends_on('mpi', when='+mpi')
     depends_on('py-mpi4py', when='+mpi', type=('build', 'run'))