diff --git a/xraylib.spec.in b/xraylib.spec.in
index 7d2efee4..430806e8 100644
--- a/xraylib.spec.in
+++ b/xraylib.spec.in
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ Quantitative estimate of elemental composition by spectroscopic and imaging tech
 
 This rpm package provides the fortran 2003 bindings of xraylib.
 
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 %package python
 Summary:A library for X-ray matter interactions cross sections for X-ray fluorescence applications: python bindings
 Requires: python xraylib numpy
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ Quantitative estimate of elemental composition by spectroscopic and imaging tech
 
 This rpm package provides the python bindings of xraylib and a command utility.
 
+%endif
+
 %package lua
 Summary:A library for X-ray matter interactions cross sections for X-ray fluorescence applications: lua bindings
 Requires: lua xraylib
@@ -106,6 +109,7 @@ This rpm package provides the perl bindings of xraylib.
 
 
 %prep
+
 %setup -q
 pushd ..
 cp -r xraylib-%{version} xraylib-%{version}-python2
@@ -121,6 +125,7 @@ popd
 sed -i 's|^hardcode_libdir_flag_spec=.*|hardcode_libdir_flag_spec=""|g' libtool
 sed -i 's|^runpath_var=LD_RUN_PATH|runpath_var=DIE_RPATH_DIE|g' libtool
 
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 #python2
 pushd ../xraylib-%{version}-python2
 %configure --disable-java --disable-idl --disable-fortran2003 --enable-python --disable-lua --disable-ruby --disable-perl --enable-python-numpy PYTHON=%{__python2} CYTHON=/usr/bin/cython
@@ -132,9 +137,11 @@ pushd ../xraylib-%{version}-python3
 %configure --disable-java --disable-idl --disable-fortran2003 --enable-python --disable-lua --disable-ruby --disable-perl --enable-python-numpy PYTHON=%{__python3} CYTHON=/usr/bin/cython3
 popd
 %endif
+%endif
 
 make 
 
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 mv ../xraylib-%{version}-python2/python python2
 %if 0%{?fedora}
 mv ../xraylib-%{version}-python3/python python3
@@ -148,11 +155,13 @@ cd python3
 make
 cd ..
 %endif
+%endif
 
 %install
 rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 make install DESTDIR=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 cd python2
 make install DESTDIR=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 cd ..
@@ -161,16 +170,21 @@ cd python3
 make install DESTDIR=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 cd ..
 %endif
+%else
+rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_prefix}/share/xraylib/*.txt
+%endif
 
 libtool --finish $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_libdir}
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_libdir}/*.la
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{lualibdir}/*.la
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{rubydir}/*.la
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{perllibdir}/*.la
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{python2_sitearch}/*.la
 %if 0%{?fedora}
 rm -f $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{python3_sitearch}/*.la
 %endif
+%endif
 
 %clean
 rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
@@ -201,6 +215,7 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %{_includedir}/xraylib/*.mod
 %{_libdir}/pkgconfig/libxrlf03.pc
 
+%if 0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} > 6
 %files python
 %defattr(-,root,root)
 %{_bindir}/xraylib
@@ -218,6 +233,7 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %{python3_sitearch}/xraylib_np.*
 %endif
 %{_prefix}/share/xraylib/*.txt
+%endif
 
 %files lua
 %defattr(-,root,root)
@@ -233,6 +249,8 @@ rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
 %{perllibdir}/xraylib.so
 
 %changelog
+* Mon Sep 18 2017 Tom Schoonjans
+- Remove python bindings for RHEL6
 * Wed Nov 23 2016 Tom Schoonjans
 - Remove support for IDL