diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 144d689..e216393 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ language: ruby
 rvm:
 - 2.0.0
 - 1.9.3
+before_script: bundle exec berks install
 script: bundle exec strainer test
 notifications:
   slack:
diff --git a/Berksfile b/Berksfile
index 80674ef..6c25442 100644
--- a/Berksfile
+++ b/Berksfile
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ site :opscode
 
 metadata
 
+cookbook 'build-essential'
+
 cookbook "delayed_evaluator", github: "chrisroberts/cookbook-delayed_evaluator"
 cookbook "marker", github: "rightscale-cookbooks/marker"
 cookbook "test-rightscale_volume", path: "./test/cookbooks/test-rightscale_volume"
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1826283..949afad 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ rightscale_volume Cookbook CHANGELOG
 
 This file is used to list changes made in each version of the rightscale_volume cookbook.
 
+v1.2.7
+------
+
+- Include 'build-essentials' which installs packages required for compiling and installing right_api_client.
+
 v1.2.6
 ------
 
diff --git a/metadata.rb b/metadata.rb
index ee0a830..e6750dd 100644
--- a/metadata.rb
+++ b/metadata.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 license          'Apache 2.0'
 description      'Provides a resource to manage volumes on any cloud RightScale supports.'
 long_description IO.read(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'README.md'))
-version          '1.2.6'
+version          '1.2.7'
+
+depends 'build-essential'
 
 recipe "rightscale_volume::default", "Default recipe for installing required packages/gems."
diff --git a/recipes/default.rb b/recipes/default.rb
index 7dc6751..45faffa 100644
--- a/recipes/default.rb
+++ b/recipes/default.rb
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
-log "Installing required gems..."
+log 'Installing required gems and dependencies...'
+
+# Install build-essentials at compile time so it is available for right_api_client
+node.normal['build-essential']['compile_time'] = true
+include_recipe 'build-essential'
 
 # Install gems during compile phase so that they are available to files
 # which require them during converge phase.