diff --git a/boost.changes b/boost.changes
index 37475fe..139d9c6 100644
--- a/boost.changes
+++ b/boost.changes
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ Wed Dec 14 18:00:01 CET 2022 - Arvin Schnell <aschnell@suse.com>
   * for details on all changes see,
     https://www.boost.org/users/history/version_1_81_0.html
 
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Mon Dec 12 08:58:58 UTC 2022 - Dirk Müller <dmueller@suse.com>
+
+- switch to pkgconfig(zlib) so that alternative providers can be
+  used
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mon Aug 22 14:19:58 UTC 2022 - Adam Majer <adam.majer@suse.de>
 
diff --git a/boost.spec b/boost.spec
index fd51e9e..281a566 100644
--- a/boost.spec
+++ b/boost.spec
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ BuildRequires:  libexpat-devel
 BuildRequires:  libicu-devel
 BuildRequires:  libzstd-devel
 BuildRequires:  xz-devel
-BuildRequires:  zlib-devel
+BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(zlib)
 %if %{with boost_fiber}
 BuildRequires:  gcc-c++ > 5
 %else