diff --git a/config/x86_64/ci.toml b/config/x86_64/ci.toml
index 88a4a4a46..0f2c29eb4 100644
--- a/config/x86_64/ci.toml
+++ b/config/x86_64/ci.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ prompt = false
 # Meta-packages below
 
 auto-test = {}
+autotools = {}
 dev-essential = {}
 dev-redox = {}
 llvm21-common = {}
diff --git a/recipes/groups/autotools/recipe.toml b/recipes/groups/autotools/recipe.toml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..521ebc6c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes/groups/autotools/recipe.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+[package]
+dependencies = [
+    "autoconf",
+    "automake",
+]
diff --git a/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml b/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
index eb24f5703..c1102583c 100644
--- a/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
+++ b/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 dependencies = [
-    "autoconf",
-    "automake",
+    "autotools",
     "gcc13",
     "gcc13.cxx",
     "gnu-binutils",