diff --git a/python-Babel.changes b/python-Babel.changes
index e8ff22e..b031402 100644
--- a/python-Babel.changes
+++ b/python-Babel.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Fri Jul 24 07:19:45 UTC 2015 - seife+obs@b1-systems.com
+
+- fix build on CentOS/RHEL by specifying TZ=UTC for %check
+- fix CentOS/RHEL by depending on /usr/sbin/update-alternatives
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Thu May 28 12:21:10 UTC 2015 - toddrme2178@gmail.com
 
diff --git a/python-Babel.spec b/python-Babel.spec
index 2db0323..060e01a 100644
--- a/python-Babel.spec
+++ b/python-Babel.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # spec file for package python-Babel
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2015 SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, Nuernberg, Germany.
+# Copyright (c) 2015 SUSE LINUX GmbH, Nuernberg, Germany.
 #
 # All modifications and additions to the file contributed by third parties
 # remain the property of their copyright owners, unless otherwise agreed
@@ -35,8 +35,9 @@ BuildRequires:  python-py >= 1.4.14
 BuildRequires:  python-pytest >= 2.3.5
 BuildRequires:  python-pytz
 Requires:       python-pytz
-Requires(post): update-alternatives
-Requires(postun): update-alternatives
+# absolute path will work cross-distro at least on RHEL and SUSE
+Requires(post): /usr/sbin/update-alternatives
+Requires(postun): /usr/sbin/update-alternatives
 Provides:       python-babel = %{version}
 Obsoletes:      python-babel < %{version}
 %if 0%{?suse_version} && 0%{?suse_version} <= 1110
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ ln -sf %{_sysconfdir}/alternatives/pybabel %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/pybabel
 %fdupes %{buildroot}%{python_sitelib}
 
 %check
-LC_ALL=C py.test tests
+TZ=UTC LC_ALL=C py.test tests
 
 %pre
 # Since /usr/bin/pybabel became ghosted to be used with update-alternatives, we have to get rid