diff --git a/nbdkit.spec b/nbdkit.spec
index 42d21fe..8c4e0cc 100644
--- a/nbdkit.spec
+++ b/nbdkit.spec
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ ExclusiveArch:  x86_64
 
 Name:           nbdkit
 Version:        1.25.3
-Release:        1%{?dist}
+Release:        2%{?dist}
 Summary:        NBD server
 
 License:        BSD
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@ BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/qemu-img
 BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/qemu-io
 BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/qemu-nbd
 BuildRequires:  %{_sbindir}/sfdisk
+%if !0%{?rhel}
 BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/socat
+%endif
 BuildRequires:  %{_sbindir}/ss
 BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/stat
 BuildRequires:  %{_bindir}/ssh-keygen
@@ -1209,6 +1211,9 @@ export LIBGUESTFS_TRACE=1
 
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Mar  4 2021 Richard W.M. Jones <rjones@redhat.com> - 1.25.3-2
+- Remove socat dependency in RHEL 9.
+
 * Tue Mar  2 2021 Richard W.M. Jones <rjones@redhat.com> - 1.25.3-1
 - New upstream development version 1.25.3.