diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index fecdd5694..8e5eaafb6 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cython>=0.24,<0.28.0
 numpy>=1.15.0
-msgpack-numpy<=0.4.4.0
+msgpack-numpy<0.4.4.0
 cymem>=1.30,<1.32
 preshed>=1.0.0,<2.0.0
 thinc>=6.10.3,<6.11.0
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3310c178e..227190164 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ def setup_package():
             scripts=['bin/spacy'],
             install_requires=[
                 'numpy>=1.15.0',
-                'msgpack-numpy<=0.4.4.0'
+                'msgpack-numpy<0.4.4.0'
                 'murmurhash>=0.28,<0.29',
                 'cymem>=1.30,<1.32',
                 'preshed>=1.0.0,<2.0.0',