diff --git a/make/mkspec.sh b/make/mkspec.sh
index 9df07ee7..55eca951 100644
--- a/make/mkspec.sh
+++ b/make/mkspec.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ echo ""
 echo "%package -n $NAME-devel"
 echo "Summary: The development library package."
 echo "Group: System Environment/Libraries"
-echo "Requires: $REQUIRES_DEVEL"
+if [ -n "$REQUIRES_DEVEL" ]; then echo "Requires: $REQUIRES_DEVEL"; fi
 echo "%description -n $NAME-devel"
 echo "development library package of the ytools library"
 echo ""