diff --git a/python-urllib3.spec b/python-urllib3.spec
index 59cf01b..1a072df 100644
--- a/python-urllib3.spec
+++ b/python-urllib3.spec
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 Name:           python-urllib3
 Version:        1.26.17
-Release:        1%{?dist}
+Release:        2%{?dist}
 Summary:        HTTP library with thread-safe connection pooling, file post, and more
 
 # SPDX
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ Requires:       %{py3_dist idna}
 Provides:       bundled(python3dist(six)) = 1.16.0
 
 # There has historically been a manual hard dependency on python3-pysocks;
-# since bringing it in is the sole function of python3-urllib3+socks, we just
-# depend on that instead.
-Requires:       python3-urllib3+socks = %{version}-%{release}
+# since bringing it in is the sole function of python3-urllib3+socks,
+# we recommend it, so it is installed by default.
+Recommends:     python3-urllib3+socks
 
 %description -n python3-urllib3 %{_description}
 
@@ -154,6 +154,9 @@ ignore="${ignore-} --ignore=test/test_no_ssl.py"
 
 
 %changelog
+* Mon Oct 09 2023 Miro Hrončok <mhroncok@redhat.com> - 1.26.17-2
+- Switch the hardcoded dependency on urllib3[socks] to a weak one
+
 * Mon Oct 02 2023 Benjamin A. Beasley <code@musicinmybrain.net> - 1.26.17-1
 - Update to 1.26.17: fix CVE-2023-43804 (GHSA-v845-jxx5-vc9f)