diff --git a/redland.spec b/redland.spec
index 0b36177..a03cb66 100644
--- a/redland.spec
+++ b/redland.spec
@@ -12,8 +12,11 @@ BuildRequires:  curl-devel
 BuildRequires:  libdb-devel
 BuildRequires:  libtool-ltdl-devel
 BuildRequires:  libxml2-devel >= 2.4.0
-# FIXME/TODO: consider explicitly using mariadb -- rex
+%if 0%{?fedora} > 27
+BuildRequires:  mariadb-connector-c-devel
+%else
 BuildRequires:  mysql-devel
+%endif
 BuildRequires:  perl-interpreter
 BuildRequires:  postgresql-devel
 BuildRequires:  raptor2-devel 
@@ -125,6 +128,7 @@ make check
 %changelog
 * Wed Dec 13 2017 Rex Dieter <rdieter@fedoraproject.org> - 1.0.17-13
 - drop depcrecated virtuoso references
+- Use mariadb-connector-c-devel (#1493694)
 
 * Thu Aug 03 2017 Fedora Release Engineering <releng@fedoraproject.org> - 1.0.17-12
 - Rebuilt for https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Fedora_27_Binutils_Mass_Rebuild