diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-jsonpickle/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-jsonpickle/package.py
index d86ec9f5d5..858743b658 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-jsonpickle/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/py-jsonpickle/package.py
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ class PyJsonpickle(PythonPackage):
     depends_on('python@2.7:', type=('build', 'run'))
     depends_on('py-setuptools', type='build')
     depends_on('py-setuptools-scm@3.4.1:+toml', type='build')
-    depends_on('py-importlib-metadata', type=('build', 'run'))
+    depends_on("py-importlib-metadata", when="^python@:3.7.99", type=('build', 'run'))