diff --git a/packages/py-neo/package.py b/packages/py-neo/package.py
index 525d2c46e6446c7a462920be0003dd76105900c8..829731d1703567a54347bab7ef8d4d65ef67a1c4 100644
--- a/packages/py-neo/package.py
+++ b/packages/py-neo/package.py
@@ -41,3 +41,6 @@ class PyNeo(PythonPackage):
 
     depends_on('py-scipy@0.12.0:',      type=('build', 'run'), when='@0.5.2:0.8.0')
     depends_on('py-scipy@1.0.0:',       type=('build', 'run'), when='@0.9.0:')
+
+    depends_on('py-nixio@1.5.0:',       type=('build', 'run'))
+    depends_on('py-pynwb',              type=('build', 'run'))
diff --git a/spack.yaml b/spack.yaml
index f340cde99620654d0291bf82cd220810330d666a..67df391344e450363e7b6dadad2f0f0059d0002a 100644
--- a/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack.yaml
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ spack:
     - py-hbp-archive@1.1.1
     - py-hbp-neuromorphic-platform@0.10.1
     - py-hbp-validation-client@0.8.2
-    - py-hdmf@3.4.6
     - py-hippounit@1.3.6
     - py-lfpy@2.3
     - py-lfpykit@0.5
@@ -38,10 +37,8 @@ spack:
     - py-netpyne@1.0.4.1
     - py-neurom@3.2.2
     - py-neuror@1.4.2
-    - py-nixio@1.5.3
     - py-pdb2pqr@3.5.2
     - py-pynn@0.11.0 +mpi
-    - py-pynwb@2.1.0
     - py-pyunicore@0.14.1
     - py-quantities-scidash@0.12.4.3
     - py-quantities@0.14.1