diff --git a/Doc/Makefile b/Doc/Makefile
index 05361f2ee2c..b8ca1edfbc6 100644
--- a/Doc/Makefile
+++ b/Doc/Makefile
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ clean:
 venv:
 	$(PYTHON) -m venv $(VENVDIR)
 	$(VENVDIR)/bin/python3 -m pip install -U pip setuptools
-	$(VENVDIR)/bin/python3 -m pip install -U Sphinx==2.2.0 blurb python-docs-theme
+	$(VENVDIR)/bin/python3 -m pip install -U Sphinx==2.3.1 blurb python-docs-theme
 	@echo "The venv has been created in the $(VENVDIR) directory"
 
 dist:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-06-25-06-59-13.bpo-40204.GpD04D.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-06-25-06-59-13.bpo-40204.GpD04D.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..25a6d751e5f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2020-06-25-06-59-13.bpo-40204.GpD04D.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Pin Sphinx version to 2.3.1 in ``Doc/Makefile``.