diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 241c74686e52c510b237b11f52c5343f962a8852..878508f3058cc8e163ac276631b7336800545fad 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ jobs:
         -
             uses: actions/setup-python@v1
             with:
-                python-version: '3.x'
+                # matches compat target in setup.py
+                python-version: '3.6'
         -   name: "Main Script"
             run: |
                 curl -L -O -k https://gitlab.tiker.net/inducer/ci-support/raw/main/prepare-and-run-flake8.sh