diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/coverage/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/coverage/default.nix
index 875b47ce50f9..f1930b88fb8c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/coverage/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/coverage/default.nix
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
 , mock
+, pythonOlder
 }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "coverage";
   version = "6.2";
+  # uses f strings
+  disabled = pythonOlder "3.5";
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;