diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
index 3d02c484f3..5fc7d90888 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class DependencyCollector
     when :java          then java_dep_if_needed(tags)
     when :linux         then LinuxRequirement.new(tags)
     when :macos         then MacOSRequirement.new(tags)
-    when :maximum_macos then MaximumMacOSRequirement.new(tags)
+    when :maximum_macos then MacOSRequirement.new(tags, comparator: "<=")
     when :osxfuse       then OsxfuseRequirement.new(tags)
     when :tuntap        then TuntapRequirement.new(tags)
     when :x11           then X11Requirement.new(tags)
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/requirements.rb b/Library/Homebrew/requirements.rb
index cf7cf6be80..4358f1f2b6 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/requirements.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/requirements.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ require "requirements/codesign_requirement"
 require "requirements/java_requirement"
 require "requirements/linux_requirement"
 require "requirements/macos_requirement"
-require "requirements/maximum_macos_requirement"
 require "requirements/osxfuse_requirement"
 require "requirements/tuntap_requirement"
 require "requirements/x11_requirement"
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/requirements/macos_requirement.rb b/Library/Homebrew/requirements/macos_requirement.rb
index d984efc6ef..35655ce9f8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/requirements/macos_requirement.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/requirements/macos_requirement.rb
@@ -5,17 +5,18 @@ require "requirement"
 class MacOSRequirement < Requirement
   fatal true
 
-  def initialize(tags = [])
+  def initialize(tags = [], comparator: ">=")
     @version = MacOS::Version.from_symbol(tags.shift) unless tags.empty?
+    @comparator = comparator
     super(tags)
   end
 
-  def minimum_version_specified?
+  def version_specified?
     OS.mac? && @version
   end
 
   satisfy(build_env: false) do
-    next MacOS.version >= @version if minimum_version_specified?
+    next MacOS.version.public_send(@comparator, @version) if version_specified?
     next true if OS.mac?
     next true if @version
 
@@ -23,14 +24,24 @@ class MacOSRequirement < Requirement
   end
 
   def message
-    return "macOS is required." unless minimum_version_specified?
+    return "macOS is required." unless version_specified?
 
-    "macOS #{@version.pretty_name} or newer is required."
+    case @comparator
+    when ">="
+      "macOS #{@version.pretty_name} or newer is required."
+    when "<="
+      <<~EOS
+        This formula either does not compile or function as expected on macOS
+        versions newer than #{@version.pretty_name} due to an upstream incompatibility.
+      EOS
+    else
+      "macOS #{@version.pretty_name} is required."
+    end
   end
 
   def display_s
-    return "macOS is required" unless minimum_version_specified?
+    return "macOS is required" unless version_specified?
 
-    "macOS >= #{@version}"
+    "macOS #{@comparator} #{@version}"
   end
 end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/requirements/maximum_macos_requirement.rb b/Library/Homebrew/requirements/maximum_macos_requirement.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 415f862ed7..0000000000
--- a/Library/Homebrew/requirements/maximum_macos_requirement.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-# frozen_string_literal: true
-
-require "requirement"
-
-class MaximumMacOSRequirement < Requirement
-  fatal true
-
-  def initialize(tags)
-    @version = MacOS::Version.from_symbol(tags.shift)
-    super(tags)
-  end
-
-  satisfy(build_env: false) { MacOS.version <= @version }
-
-  def message
-    <<~EOS
-      This formula either does not compile or function as expected on macOS
-      versions newer than #{@version.pretty_name} due to an upstream incompatibility.
-    EOS
-  end
-
-  def display_s
-    "macOS <= #{@version}"
-  end
-end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/requirements/macos_requirement_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/requirements/macos_requirement_spec.rb
index 71d080e557..0e48a62f47 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/requirements/macos_requirement_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/requirements/macos_requirement_spec.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,17 @@ describe MacOSRequirement do
 
   describe "#satisfied?" do
     it "returns true on macOS" do
-      expect(requirement.satisfied?).to eq(OS.mac?)
+      expect(requirement.satisfied?).to eq OS.mac?
+    end
+
+    it "supports version symbols", :needs_macos do
+      requirement = described_class.new([MacOS.version.to_sym])
+      expect(requirement).to be_satisfied
+    end
+
+    it "supports maximum versions", :needs_macos do
+      requirement = described_class.new([:mavericks], comparator: "<=")
+      expect(requirement.satisfied?).to eq MacOS.version <= :mavericks
     end
   end
 end