diff --git a/build/pkgs/pari/spkg-configure.m4 b/build/pkgs/pari/spkg-configure.m4
index 5ece8b4891e..207487119a6 100644
--- a/build/pkgs/pari/spkg-configure.m4
+++ b/build/pkgs/pari/spkg-configure.m4
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 SAGE_SPKG_CONFIGURE([pari], [
   dnl See gp_version below on how the version is computed from MAJV.MINV.PATCHV
   m4_pushdef([SAGE_PARI_MINVER],["134916"])dnl this version and higher allowed
-  m4_pushdef([SAGE_PARI_MAXVER],["999999"])dnl this version and higher not allowed
+  dnl Do not allow Pari 2.17 or later, see #38769:
+  m4_pushdef([SAGE_PARI_MAXVER],["135424"])dnl this version and higher not allowed
   SAGE_SPKG_DEPCHECK([gmp readline], [
     AC_PATH_PROG([GP], [gp])
     if test x$GP = x; then dnl GP test