diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libx11/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libx11/package.py
index bf741a331a..655132b3a0 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libx11/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libx11/package.py
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ class Libx11(AutotoolsPackage):
     depends_on('libxcb@1.1.92:')
 
     depends_on('xproto@7.0.17:', type='build')
-    depends_on('xextproto', type='build')
+    depends_on('xextproto', type=('build', 'link'))
     depends_on('xtrans', type='build')
-    depends_on('kbproto', type='build')
+    depends_on('kbproto', type=('build', 'link'))
     depends_on('inputproto', type='build')
     depends_on('pkg-config@0.9.0:', type='build')
     depends_on('util-macros', type='build')
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxau/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxau/package.py
index 0a80e3ce42..9e6c6ad09b 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxau/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxau/package.py
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@ class Libxau(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     version('1.0.8', 'a85cd601d82bc79c0daa280917572e20')
 
-    depends_on('xproto', type='build')
+    depends_on('xproto', type=('build', 'link'))
     depends_on('pkg-config@0.9.0:', type='build')
     depends_on('util-macros', type='build')
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxrender/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxrender/package.py
index 58416eb600..7a5b38c8c2 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxrender/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/libxrender/package.py
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ class Libxrender(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     depends_on('libx11@1.6:')
 
-    depends_on('renderproto@0.9:', type='build')
+    depends_on('renderproto@0.9:', type=('build', 'link'))
     depends_on('pkg-config@0.9.0:', type='build')
     depends_on('util-macros', type='build')