diff --git a/srcpkgs/bomi/template b/srcpkgs/bomi/template
index 4cd1a3291ed..2e47eafb75d 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/bomi/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/bomi/template
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ version=0.9.11
 revision=14
 build_style=configure
 configure_args="--disable-systemd --release --prefix=/usr"
-hostmakedepends="pkg-config curl perl"
+# does not build using py3.8 because of waf issues
+hostmakedepends="python pkg-config curl perl"
 makedepends="qt5-devel MesaLib-devel ffmpeg-devel mpg123-devel libass-devel
  libdvdread-devel libdvdnav-devel libbluray-devel icu-devel libxcb-devel
  xcb-util-wm-devel libva-devel libva-glx-devel alsa-lib-devel libvdpau-devel