diff --git a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/fairmq/package.py b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/fairmq/package.py
index 7d1879b348e..6f965b7892c 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/fairmq/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/spack_repo/builtin/packages/fairmq/package.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class Fairmq(CMakePackage):
         depends_on("git")
 
     depends_on("boost@1.66: +container+program_options+filesystem+date_time+regex")
+    conflicts("^boost@1.88:")
     depends_on("fairlogger@1.6: +pretty")
     depends_on("libzmq@4.1.4:")