diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pyhdf/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pyhdf/package.py
index 0cdb79ef0fc3a1..40a3e8c66c25f7 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pyhdf/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-pyhdf/package.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class PyPyhdf(PythonPackage):
     depends_on("python@3.2:", type=("build", "run"))
 
     # Dependencies
-    depends_on("zlib", type=("build", "run"))
+    depends_on("zlib-api", type=("build", "run"))
     depends_on("hdf", type=("build", "run"))
     depends_on("py-numpy", type=("build", "run"))
     depends_on("jpeg", type=("build", "run"))
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ def setup_build_environment(self, env):
         inc_dirs = []
         lib_dirs = []
         # Strip -I and -L from spec include_flags / search_flags
-        inc_dirs.append(self.spec["zlib"].headers.include_flags.lstrip("-I"))
+        inc_dirs.append(self.spec["zlib-api"].headers.include_flags.lstrip("-I"))
         inc_dirs.append(self.spec["hdf"].headers.include_flags.lstrip("-I"))
         inc_dirs.append(self.spec["jpeg"].headers.include_flags.lstrip("-I"))
-        lib_dirs.append(self.spec["zlib"].libs.search_flags.lstrip("-L"))
+        lib_dirs.append(self.spec["zlib-api"].libs.search_flags.lstrip("-L"))
         lib_dirs.append(self.spec["hdf"].libs.search_flags.lstrip("-L"))
         lib_dirs.append(self.spec["jpeg"].libs.search_flags.lstrip("-L"))
         env.set("INCLUDE_DIRS", ":".join(inc_dirs))