diff --git a/python3.9.spec b/python3.9.spec
index 70c657b..3a2e159 100644
--- a/python3.9.spec
+++ b/python3.9.spec
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ URL: https://www.python.org/
 #global prerel ...
 %global upstream_version %{general_version}%{?prerel}
 Version: %{general_version}%{?prerel:~%{prerel}}
-Release: 1%{?dist}
+Release: 2%{?dist}
 License: Python
 
 
@@ -218,7 +218,8 @@ BuildRequires: bluez-libs-devel
 BuildRequires: bzip2
 BuildRequires: bzip2-devel
 BuildRequires: desktop-file-utils
-BuildRequires: expat-devel
+# See the runtime requirement in the -libs subpackage
+BuildRequires: expat-devel >= 2.6
 
 BuildRequires: findutils
 BuildRequires: gcc-c++
@@ -564,6 +565,14 @@ Recommends: (%{pkgname}-tkinter%{?_isa} = %{version}-%{release} if tk%{?_isa})
 # The zoneinfo module needs tzdata
 Requires: tzdata
 
+# The requirement on libexpat is generated, but we need to version it.
+# When built with expat >= 2.6, but installed with older expat, we get:
+#   ImportError: /usr/lib64/python3.X/lib-dynload/pyexpat.cpython-....so:
+#   undefined symbol: XML_SetReparseDeferralEnabled
+# This breaks many things, including python -m venv.
+# Other subpackages (like -debug) also need this, but they all depend on -libs.
+Requires: expat >= 2.6
+
 # https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Move_usr_bin_python_into_separate_package
 # In Fedora 31, several "unversioned" files like /usr/bin/pydoc and all the
 # "unversioned" provides were moved from python2 to python3.
@@ -755,6 +764,14 @@ Provides: bundled(libmpdec) = %{libmpdec_version}
 # The zoneinfo module needs tzdata
 Requires: tzdata
 
+# The requirement on libexpat is generated, but we need to version it.
+# When built with expat >= 2.6, but installed with older expat, we get:
+#   ImportError: /usr/lib64/python3.X/lib-dynload/pyexpat.cpython-....so:
+#   undefined symbol: XML_SetReparseDeferralEnabled
+# This breaks many things, including python -m venv.
+# Other subpackages (like -debug) also need this, but they all depend on -libs.
+Requires: expat >= 2.6
+
 # The description for the flat package (SRPM and built)
 %description
 Python %{pybasever} package for developers.
@@ -1824,6 +1841,9 @@ CheckPython optimized
 # ======================================================
 
 %changelog
+* Wed Apr 17 2024 Miro Hrončok <mhroncok@redhat.com> - 3.9.19-2
+- Require expat >= 2.6 to prevent errors when creating venvs with older expat
+
 * Wed Mar 20 2024 Tomáš Hrnčiar <thrnciar@redhat.com> - 3.9.19-1
 - Update to 3.9.19