diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2aa1321a5d..f2d1cd17a1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ if (NOT SED_EXE)
     endif ()
 endif ()
 
-set(ZEEK_PYTHON_MIN 3.5.0)
+set(ZEEK_PYTHON_MIN 3.9.0)
 set(Python_FIND_UNVERSIONED_NAMES FIRST)
 find_package(Python ${ZEEK_PYTHON_MIN} REQUIRED COMPONENTS Interpreter)
 find_package(FLEX REQUIRED)