diff --git a/environment.yml b/environment.yml
index 964c023883..1c56349732 100644
--- a/environment.yml
+++ b/environment.yml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ dependencies:
   - sphinx >=6.1.3
   - pydata-sphinx-theme
   # Python packages needed for testing
-  - flake8
+  - flake8 >=7.0.0  # not to pick up E231
   - mypy >=0.990
   - pytest >=3.9,!=6.0.0rc1,!=6.0.0
   - pytest-cov >=2.10.1