diff --git a/systemd-mini.changes b/systemd-mini.changes
index b6ca4b73..10908beb 100644
--- a/systemd-mini.changes
+++ b/systemd-mini.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Fri Sep 16 12:38:19 UTC 2016 - fbui@suse.com
+
+- Build require python and python-lxml in order to generate
+  systemd.directives man page (bsc#986952)
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Sep 16 12:27:02 UTC 2016 - fbui@suse.com
 
diff --git a/systemd-mini.spec b/systemd-mini.spec
index 6e6d1850..6983a648 100644
--- a/systemd-mini.spec
+++ b/systemd-mini.spec
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 %bcond_without  networkd
 %bcond_without  sysvcompat
 %bcond_with     resolved
-%bcond_with     python
 %bcond_with     parentpathid
 %if 0%{?suse_version} > 1315
 %bcond_without  permission
@@ -93,12 +92,12 @@ BuildRequires:  docbook-xsl-stylesheets
 BuildRequires:  libgcrypt-devel
 BuildRequires:  libxslt-tools
 # curl and bzip2 are required for building importd
+BuildRequires:  libapparmor-devel
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(bzip2)
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libcurl)
-%if %{with python}
-BuildRequires:  python
-%endif
-BuildRequires:  libapparmor-devel
+# python is only required for generating systemd.directives.xml
+BuildRequires:  python3
+BuildRequires:  python3-lxml
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libcryptsetup) >= 1.6.0
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libmicrohttpd)
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libqrencode)
@@ -686,9 +685,6 @@ export CFLAGS="%{optflags}"
   --disable-importd \
 %else
   --enable-manpages \
-%if %{with python}
-  --with-python \
-%endif
   --with-nss-my-hostname-warning \
 %endif
   --enable-selinux \
diff --git a/systemd.changes b/systemd.changes
index b6ca4b73..10908beb 100644
--- a/systemd.changes
+++ b/systemd.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Fri Sep 16 12:38:19 UTC 2016 - fbui@suse.com
+
+- Build require python and python-lxml in order to generate
+  systemd.directives man page (bsc#986952)
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Sep 16 12:27:02 UTC 2016 - fbui@suse.com
 
diff --git a/systemd.spec b/systemd.spec
index 80c07f49..a828396c 100644
--- a/systemd.spec
+++ b/systemd.spec
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 %bcond_without  networkd
 %bcond_without  sysvcompat
 %bcond_with     resolved
-%bcond_with     python
 %bcond_with     parentpathid
 %if 0%{?suse_version} > 1315
 %bcond_without  permission
@@ -88,12 +87,12 @@ BuildRequires:  docbook-xsl-stylesheets
 BuildRequires:  libgcrypt-devel
 BuildRequires:  libxslt-tools
 # curl and bzip2 are required for building importd
+BuildRequires:  libapparmor-devel
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(bzip2)
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libcurl)
-%if %{with python}
-BuildRequires:  python
-%endif
-BuildRequires:  libapparmor-devel
+# python is only required for generating systemd.directives.xml
+BuildRequires:  python3
+BuildRequires:  python3-lxml
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libcryptsetup) >= 1.6.0
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libmicrohttpd)
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(libqrencode)
@@ -681,9 +680,6 @@ export CFLAGS="%{optflags}"
   --disable-importd \
 %else
   --enable-manpages \
-%if %{with python}
-  --with-python \
-%endif
   --with-nss-my-hostname-warning \
 %endif
   --enable-selinux \