diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk/package.py
index d3513f385b..f33bdce640 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/vtk/package.py
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ class Vtk(CMakePackage):
     patch('https://gitlab.kitware.com/vtk/vtk/-/commit/e066c3f4fbbfe7470c6207db0fc3f3952db633c.diff',
           when="@9:", sha256='0546696bd02f3a99fccb9b7c49533377bf8179df16d901cefe5abf251173716d')
 
-    # At the moment, we cannot build with both osmesa and qt, but as of
-    # VTK 8.1, that should change
-    conflicts('+osmesa', when='+qt')
+    # We cannot build with both osmesa and qt prior to VTK 8.1
+    conflicts('+osmesa', when='@:8.0 +qt')
 
     extends('python', when='+python')