diff --git a/gnu/packages/databases.scm b/gnu/packages/databases.scm
index 8a33acac79..09a262d139 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/databases.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/databases.scm
@@ -947,8 +947,7 @@ (define-public recutils
                                       (assoc-ref %build-inputs "bash:include")
                                       "/include/bash"))))
 
-    (native-inputs `(("emacs" ,emacs-minimal)
-                     ("bc" ,bc)
+    (native-inputs `(("bc" ,bc)
                      ("bash:include" ,bash "include")
                      ("check" ,check)
                      ("libuuid" ,util-linux)