diff --git a/python.lua b/python.lua
index bd30a85..5264e59 100644
--- a/python.lua
+++ b/python.lua
@@ -6,11 +6,20 @@
 --  python3-foo  -> python-foo, python3.X-foo
 --  python3.X-foo -> python-foo, python3-foo
 -- If only_3_to_3_X is true there is only 1 rule:
---  python3-foo  -> python3.X-foo
+--  python3-foo  -> python3X-foo
 -- There is no python-foo -> rule, python-foo packages are version agnostic.
 -- Returns a table/array with strings. Empty when no rule matched.
 local function python_altnames(name, only_3_to_3_X)
-  local xy = rpm.expand('%{__default_python3_pkgversion}')
+  local xy
+  if only_3_to_3_X then
+    -- Here we hardcode the xy prefix we want to obsolete to "39", because:
+    -- 1. Python 3.9 will remain the main Python version in RHEL 9
+    -- 2. python39 in RHEL 8 is still using the dotless naming (as opposed to
+    --    python3.9)
+    xy = "39"
+  else
+    xy = rpm.expand('%{__default_python3_pkgversion}')
+  end
   local altnames = {}
   local replaced
   -- NB: dash needs to be escaped!
diff --git a/tests/test_evals.py b/tests/test_evals.py
index c65992d..017457e 100644
--- a/tests/test_evals.py
+++ b/tests/test_evals.py
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ def test_py_provides_python3(rhel):
     assert 'Provides: python-foo = 6-1.fc66' in lines
     assert f'Provides: python{X_Y}-foo = 6-1.fc66' in lines
     if rhel:
-        assert f'Obsoletes: python{X_Y}-foo < 6-1.fc66' in lines
+        assert f'Obsoletes: python{XY}-foo < 6-1.fc66' in lines
         assert len(lines) == 4
     else:
         assert len(lines) == 3
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ def test_py_provides_python3_epoched(rhel):
     assert 'Provides: python-foo = 1:6-1.fc66' in lines
     assert f'Provides: python{X_Y}-foo = 1:6-1.fc66' in lines
     if rhel:
-        assert f'Obsoletes: python{X_Y}-foo < 1:6-1.fc66' in lines
+        assert f'Obsoletes: python{XY}-foo < 1:6-1.fc66' in lines
         assert len(lines) == 4
     else:
         assert len(lines) == 3
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ def test_py_provides_doubleuse(rhel):
     assert 'Provides: python-foo = 6-1.fc66' in lines
     assert f'Provides: python{X_Y}-foo = 6-1.fc66' in lines
     if rhel:
-        assert f'Obsoletes: python{X_Y}-foo < 6-1.fc66' in lines
+        assert f'Obsoletes: python{XY}-foo < 6-1.fc66' in lines
         assert len(lines) == 8
         assert len(set(lines)) == 4
     else:
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ def test_py_provides_with_evr(rhel):
     assert 'Provides: python-foo = 123' in lines
     assert f'Provides: python{X_Y}-foo = 123' in lines
     if rhel:
-        assert f'Obsoletes: python{X_Y}-foo < 123' in lines
+        assert f'Obsoletes: python{XY}-foo < 123' in lines
         assert len(lines) == 4
     else:
         assert len(lines) == 3