diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vbfnlo/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vbfnlo/package.py
index 3f96d8394c1..e00860b8efa 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vbfnlo/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vbfnlo/package.py
@@ -18,26 +18,25 @@ class Vbfnlo(AutotoolsPackage):
 
     license("GPL-2.0-only")
 
-    # The commented out versions exist, but are not tested
     version("3.0", sha256="b9df02603e4f801f866360c720191a29afdb958d0bd4369ea7d810e761503e51")
-    version(
-        "3.0.0beta5", sha256="777a3dedb365ea9abc38848a60f30d325da3799cbad69fa308664b94a8c31a90"
-    )
-    version(
-        "3.0.0beta4", sha256="511e84765e9634a75766a160eae1925812dacbb3943e7e3b4dc90e2eacac8a2c"
-    )
-    # version('3.0.0beta3', sha256='ab4cc3289051ab09ed94fa41d0eb1c5c4adcd9f39fa04e3c95a3867f256541bc')
-    version(
-        "3.0.0beta2", sha256="33dd0781e645a5baa664fc5aa81d43c12586bf095ef25895e86cb4192c22473b"
-    )
-    version(
-        "3.0.0beta1", sha256="19f0bf7e4c93b0f287d2531d6802c114a78eb46cde28ea820b2a074a5819c7ca"
-    )
-    version(
-        "2.7.1",
-        sha256="13e33d73d8a8ef64094621f87e6f94e01712e76cc19a86298d0b52cfcb9decca",
-        preferred=True,
-    )
+    with default_args(deprecated=True):
+        # deprecate beta versions which are such that they are preferred over 3.0
+        version(
+            "3.0.0beta5", sha256="777a3dedb365ea9abc38848a60f30d325da3799cbad69fa308664b94a8c31a90"
+        )
+        version(
+            "3.0.0beta4", sha256="511e84765e9634a75766a160eae1925812dacbb3943e7e3b4dc90e2eacac8a2c"
+        )
+        version(
+            "3.0.0beta3", sha256="ab4cc3289051ab09ed94fa41d0eb1c5c4adcd9f39fa04e3c95a3867f256541bc"
+        )
+        version(
+            "3.0.0beta2", sha256="33dd0781e645a5baa664fc5aa81d43c12586bf095ef25895e86cb4192c22473b"
+        )
+        version(
+            "3.0.0beta1", sha256="19f0bf7e4c93b0f287d2531d6802c114a78eb46cde28ea820b2a074a5819c7ca"
+        )
+    version("2.7.1", sha256="13e33d73d8a8ef64094621f87e6f94e01712e76cc19a86298d0b52cfcb9decca")
 
     depends_on("cxx", type="build")  # generated
     depends_on("fortran", type="build")  # generated
@@ -72,6 +71,6 @@ def configure_args(self):
 
         return args
 
-    @when("@3.0.0beta3:~doc")
+    @when("@3: ~doc")
     def patch(self):
         filter_file("lib src doc", "lib src", "Makefile.am")