diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nwchem/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nwchem/package.py
index 2de17934361..b6f6d51de5d 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nwchem/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/nwchem/package.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class Nwchem(Package):
     depends_on("mpi")
     depends_on("scalapack")
     depends_on("fftw-api")
-    depends_on("python@3:", type=("build", "link", "run"))
+    depends_on("python@3:3.9", type=("build", "link", "run"), when="@:7.0.2")
 
     def install(self, spec, prefix):
         scalapack = spec["scalapack"].libs