diff --git a/libmicrodns.spec b/libmicrodns.spec
index 692886d..747b5fc 100644
--- a/libmicrodns.spec
+++ b/libmicrodns.spec
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ Source0:        %{url}/archive/%{version}/%{name}-%{version}.tar.gz
 
 BuildRequires:  meson
 BuildRequires:  gcc
+%if 0%{?el7}
+BuildRequires:  devtoolset-8-toolchain, devtoolset-8-libatomic-devel
+%endif
 
 
 %description
@@ -26,9 +29,16 @@ developing applications that use %{name}.
 
 %prep
 %autosetup
+%if 0%{?rhel}
+# lower the meson requirement there
+sed -i -e 's/0.50.0/0.47.2/' meson.build
+%endif
 
 
 %build
+%if 0%{?el7}
+. /opt/rh/devtoolset-8/enable
+%endif
 %meson
 %meson_build