diff --git a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/blast_plus/package.py b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/blast_plus/package.py
index ab75452d186..38fe73490fb 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/blast_plus/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/blast_plus/package.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def patch(self):
     depends_on("lzo", when="+lzo")
     depends_on("pcre", when="+pcre")
 
-    depends_on("python", when="+python")
+    depends_on("python@:3.11", when="+python")
     depends_on("perl", when="+perl")
 
     depends_on("lmdb", when="@2.7.1:")