diff --git a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/constraints.txt b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/constraints.txt
index e043bc52e99..20677a79ca8 100644
--- a/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/constraints.txt
+++ b/test/lib/ansible_test/_data/requirements/constraints.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ jinja2 < 2.11 ; python_version < '2.7' # jinja2 2.11 and later require python 2.
 urllib3 < 1.24 ; python_version < '2.7' # urllib3 1.24 and later require python 2.7 or later
 pywinrm >= 0.3.0 # message encryption support
 sphinx < 1.6 ; python_version < '2.7' # sphinx 1.6 and later require python 2.7 or later
-sphinx < 1.8 ; python_version >= '2.7' # sphinx 1.8 and later are currently incompatible with rstcheck 3.3
+sphinx <= 2.1.2 ; python_version >= '2.7' # docs team hasn't  tested beyond 2.1.2 yet
+rstcheck >=3.3.1  # required for sphinx version >= 1.8
 pygments >= 2.4.0 # Pygments 2.4.0 includes bugfixes for YAML and YAML+Jinja lexers
 wheel < 0.30.0 ; python_version < '2.7' # wheel 0.30.0 and later require python 2.7 or later
 yamllint != 1.8.0, < 1.14.0 ; python_version < '2.7' # yamllint 1.8.0 and 1.14.0+ require python 2.7+