diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/utility/requirements.apt b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/utility/requirements.apt
index 2fb764c3d..9a18d50d4 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/utility/requirements.apt
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/utility/requirements.apt
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 build-essential
 #required to translate
 gettext
+{% if cookiecutter.use_python2 == 'n' -%}
+python3-dev
+{% else %}
 python-dev
+{%- endif %}
 
 ##shared dependencies of:
 ##Pillow, pylibmc