diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 5af945806..d936c8b50 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ matrix:
       dist: xenial
       sudo: required
       language: python
-      python: 3.5
+      python: 3.8
       addons: *linux_addons
 
     - os: osx
diff --git a/pr-check.sh b/pr-check.sh
index 11d36f426..287d4fb78 100755
--- a/pr-check.sh
+++ b/pr-check.sh
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ $activate_venv $venv || {
     exit_with_error "Virtual environment activation failed."
 }
 
-python3 -m pip install -U "pip<10" || \
+python3 -m pip install -U pip || \
     exit_with_error_and_venv "Failed to update Pip."
 
 # install brainiak in editable mode (required for testing)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 237e5f1ed..8627370a4 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ def finalize_options(self):
         'cython',
         'numpy!=1.17.*',
         'pybind11>=1.7',
+        'scipy!=1.0.0',
         'setuptools_scm',
     ],
     install_requires=[