diff --git a/recipes/fastq_utils/meta.yaml b/recipes/fastq_utils/meta.yaml
index f7bdd1f276c636..2d4a4b22c6af38 100644
--- a/recipes/fastq_utils/meta.yaml
+++ b/recipes/fastq_utils/meta.yaml
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ requirements:
     - libtool
     - zlib
   host:
+    - {{ compiler('c') }}
     - samtools ==0.1.19
     - zlib
     - ncurses