diff --git a/rpm/generic/zfs-dkms.spec.in b/rpm/generic/zfs-dkms.spec.in
index 0a6935516c6e..e0c410c680c2 100644
--- a/rpm/generic/zfs-dkms.spec.in
+++ b/rpm/generic/zfs-dkms.spec.in
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ Obsoletes:      spl-dkms
 Provides:       %{module}-kmod = %{version}
 AutoReqProv:    no
 
+%if 0%{?rhel}%{?fedora}%{?suse_version}
+# We don't directly use it, but if this isn't installed, rpmbuild as root can
+# crash+corrupt rpmdb
+# See issue #12071
+BuildRequires:  ncompress
+%endif
+
 %description
 This package contains the dkms ZFS kernel modules.
 
diff --git a/rpm/generic/zfs-kmod.spec.in b/rpm/generic/zfs-kmod.spec.in
index 6e4bfdcfedc0..1692be1a72e6 100644
--- a/rpm/generic/zfs-kmod.spec.in
+++ b/rpm/generic/zfs-kmod.spec.in
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ BuildRequires:  gcc, make
 BuildRequires:  elfutils-libelf-devel
 %endif
 
+%if 0%{?rhel}%{?fedora}%{?suse_version}
+# We don't directly use it, but if this isn't installed, rpmbuild as root can
+# crash+corrupt rpmdb
+# See issue #12071
+BuildRequires:  ncompress
+%endif
+
 # The developments headers will conflict with the dkms packages.
 Conflicts:      %{module}-dkms
 
diff --git a/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in b/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
index b1750942f53f..bebf2ee2bf74 100644
--- a/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
+++ b/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
@@ -140,9 +140,14 @@ BuildRequires:  libblkid-devel
 BuildRequires:  libudev-devel
 BuildRequires:  libattr-devel
 BuildRequires:  openssl-devel
+# We don't directly use it, but if this isn't installed, rpmbuild as root can
+# crash+corrupt rpmdb
+# See issue #12071
+BuildRequires:  ncompress
 %if 0%{?fedora} >= 28 || 0%{?rhel} >= 8 || 0%{?centos} >= 8
 BuildRequires:  libtirpc-devel
 %endif
+
 Requires:       openssl
 %if 0%{?_systemd}
 BuildRequires: systemd