diff --git a/srcpkgs/john/template b/srcpkgs/john/template
index a18953b2af9..21c23d89d36 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/john/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/john/template
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ license="GPL-2.0-or-later with OpenSSL-exception"
 homepage="https://www.openwall.com/john/"
 distfiles="$homepage/k/$pkgname-${version}-jumbo-${_jumbover}.tar.xz"
 checksum=f5d123f82983c53d8cc598e174394b074be7a77756f5fb5ed8515918c81e7f3b
+python_version=2 #unverified
 
 # the build system checks the host cpu for features, so when building on
 # a modern power9 system, it will attempt to shove in -mvsx and so on,