diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index e9e20aec4..4cc47eeed 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Vcs-Browser: https://github.com/fish-shell/fish-shell
 
 Package: fish
 Architecture: any
-Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, gettext-base, man-db, ncurses-base, procps,
+Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}, file, gettext-base, man-db, ncurses-base, procps,
  python3 (>=3.5)
 Conflicts: fish-common
 Recommends: xsel (>=1.2.0)
diff --git a/fish.spec.in b/fish.spec.in
index 9df2e1b42..32ae38444 100644
--- a/fish.spec.in
+++ b/fish.spec.in
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ BuildRequires: glibc-langpack-en
 %endif
 BuildRequires: python3 procps
 
+Requires:      file
 Requires:      python3
 Requires:      man
 Requires:      ncurses-base