diff --git a/srcpkgs/obnam/template b/srcpkgs/obnam/template
index 80d14889c7..750a9880f4 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/obnam/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/obnam/template
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ pkgname=obnam
 version=1.8
 revision=1
 build_style=python-module
-hostmakedepends="python-devel"
-makedepends="python-devel python-larch python-paramiko"
+hostmakedepends="python-devel python-larch python-paramiko"
+makedepends="${hostmakedepends}"
 depends="python python-larch python-paramiko python-fuse"
 python_versions="2.7"
 pycompile_module="obnam"