diff --git a/python-ecdsa.spec b/python-ecdsa.spec
index c2703a4..1a36613 100644
--- a/python-ecdsa.spec
+++ b/python-ecdsa.spec
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Name:           python-%{srcname}
 Version:        0.17.0
-Release:        8%{?dist}
+Release:        9%{?dist}
 Summary:        ECDSA cryptographic signature library
 
 License:        MIT
@@ -10,11 +10,16 @@ URL:            https://pypi.python.org/pypi/ecdsa
 Source0:        %{pypi_source ecdsa}
 
 BuildArch:      noarch
+
+BuildRequires:  python3-devel
 # For tests
 BuildRequires:  openssl
-BuildRequires:  python3-devel
 BuildRequires:  python3-pytest
 BuildRequires:  python3-hypothesis
+%if 0%{!?rhel}
+# for better performance
+BuildRequires:  python3-gmpy2
+%endif
 
 %description
 This is an easy-to-use implementation of ECDSA cryptography (Elliptic Curve
@@ -64,6 +69,9 @@ find src/ecdsa -name \*.py | xargs sed -ie '/\/usr\/bin\/env/d'
 
 
 %changelog
+* Fri Aug 26 2022 Jonathan Wright <jonathan@almalinux.org> - 0.17.0-9
+- improve performance with gmpy2
+
 * Fri Aug 26 2022 Jonathan Wright <jonathan@almalinux.org> - 0.17.0-8
 - modernize spec file