diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index dd9c1d87e..bc5d79343 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ pillow
 pylab-sdk
 pyyaml
 readthedocs-sphinx-search==0.1.2
-sphinxcontrib-applehelp==1.0.7
+sphinxcontrib-applehelp==1.0.8
 sphinx<5
 sphinx-gallery==0.10.1  # tutorial page is not rendered correctly with newer versions
 sphinx_rtd_theme==1.0.0
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e6b13e248..6edc7d057 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
             "ipython",  # sphinx needs this to render codes
             "nbsphinx>=0.8.5",
             "readthedocs-sphinx-search==0.1.0",
-            "sphinx",
+            "sphinxcontrib-applehelp<1.0.8"
+            "sphinx<5",
             "sphinx_rtd_theme",
             "sphinx-gallery",
         ],