diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 258db63b..e11752cc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,3 +7,12 @@ This is a fork of [MySQLdb1](https://github.com/farcepest/MySQLdb1).
 
 This project adds Python 3 support and bug fixes.
 I hope this fork is merged back to MySQLdb1 like distribute was merged back to setuptools.
+
+Prerequisites for Installing
+----------------------------
+
+You may need to install the Python and MySQL development headers and libraries like so:
+
+`sudo apt-get install python-dev libmysqlclient-dev`  # Debian / Ubuntu
+
+`sudo yum install python-devel mysql-devel`  # Red Hat / CentOS