diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/django-compat/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/django-compat/default.nix
index de180ca03e5..c492e65854a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/django-compat/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/django-compat/default.nix
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 { stdenv, buildPythonPackage, fetchFromGitHub, python,
   django, six
 }:
-if stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast django.version "2.0"
-then throw "django-compat requires django < 2.0"
-else
+
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "django-compat";
   version = "1.0.15";
+  # django-compat requires django < 2.0
+  disabled = stdenv.lib.versionAtLeast django.version "2.0";
 
   # the pypi packages don't include everything required for the tests
   src = fetchFromGitHub {