diff --git a/python-coverage.changes b/python-coverage.changes
index 7bd2b5d..36c52f5 100644
--- a/python-coverage.changes
+++ b/python-coverage.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Sat Mar 21 15:01:00 UTC 2020 - Dirk Mueller <dmueller@suse.com>
+
+- fix build for older distros by buildrequiring a new-enough pytest
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fri Sep 13 10:39:23 UTC 2019 - Tomáš Chvátal <tchvatal@suse.com>
 
diff --git a/python-coverage.spec b/python-coverage.spec
index 8db1cdb..b44f5de 100644
--- a/python-coverage.spec
+++ b/python-coverage.spec
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 # spec file for package python-coverage
 #
-# Copyright (c) 2019 SUSE LINUX GmbH, Nuernberg, Germany.
+# Copyright (c) 2020 SUSE LLC
 #
 # All modifications and additions to the file contributed by third parties
 # remain the property of their copyright owners, unless otherwise agreed
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ Source:         https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/source/c/coverage/covera
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module devel}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module flaky}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module mock}
+BuildRequires:  %{python_module pytest >= 4.4.0}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module pytest-xdist}
-BuildRequires:  %{python_module pytest}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module setuptools}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module unittest-mixins}
 BuildRequires:  %{python_module xml}
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ ln -sf coverage-%{python3_version} %{buildroot}%{_bindir}/coverage3
 %check
 # GetZipBytesTest.test_get_encoded_zip_files - needs zip command
 # test_egg - needs generated egg file
-# test_doctest - weird doctest importing 
+# test_doctest - weird doctest importing
 # test_unicode - differs between py2/py3
 # test_version - checks for non-compiled variant, we ship only compiled one
 # test_multiprocessing_with_branching - whitespace issue in regexp