diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb b/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
index ce811330d5..59cfde7fb5 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ module Language
       def virtualenv_install_with_resources(options = {})
         python = options[:using]
         if python.nil?
-          wanted = %w[python python@2 python2 python3 python@3 pypy pypy3].select { |py| needs_python?(py) }
+          pythons = %w[python python@2 python2 python3 python@3 python@3.8 pypy pypy3]
+          wanted = pythons.select { |py| needs_python?(py) }
           raise FormulaAmbiguousPythonError, self if wanted.size > 1
 
           python = wanted.first || "python2.7"