diff --git a/akonadi.spec b/akonadi.spec
index 59f20c4..7e0dffb 100644
--- a/akonadi.spec
+++ b/akonadi.spec
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 %define soprano 1
 %endif
 
+%global mysql mysql
+%if 0%{?fedora} || 0%{?rhel} > 6
+%global mysql mariadb
+%endif
+
 Summary: PIM Storage Service
 Name:    akonadi
 Version: 1.13.0
@@ -61,7 +66,7 @@ BuildRequires: pkgconfig(sqlite3) >= 3.6.23
 BuildRequires: dbus-x11 xorg-x11-server-Xvfb
 # backends, used at buildtime to query known locations of server binaries
 # FIXME/TODO: set these via cmake directives, avoids needless buildroot items
-BuildRequires: mariadb-server
+BuildRequires: %{mysql}-server
 BuildRequires: postgresql-server
 
 %{?_qt4_version:Requires: qt4%{?_isa} >= %{_qt4_version}}
@@ -82,7 +87,7 @@ Summary: Akonadi MySQL backend support
 # upgrade path
 Obsoletes: akonadi < 1.7.90-2
 Requires: %{name}%{?_isa} = %{version}-%{release}
-Requires: mariadb-server
+Requires: %{mysql}-server
 Requires: qt4-mysql%{?_isa}
 Requires(post): %{_sbindir}/update-alternatives
 Requires(postun): %{_sbindir}/update-alternatives
@@ -207,7 +212,7 @@ fi
 
 %changelog
 * Sat Sep 27 2014 Rex Dieter <rdieter@fedoraproject.org> 1.13.0-4
-- explicitly s/mysql-server/mariadb-server/
+- explicitly Requires: mariadb-server/mysql-server as appropriate
 
 * Mon Sep 15 2014 Rex Dieter <rdieter@fedoraproject.org> 1.13.0-3
 - pull in some upstream fixes