diff --git a/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal b/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
index eb0dcf0b0..10d4b8bc9 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
+++ b/hledger-lib/hledger-lib.cabal
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ library
                  ,safe >= 0.2
                  ,split == 0.1.*
                  ,time
-                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3
+                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3.5 && < 0.4
                  ,HUnit
 
 source-repository head
diff --git a/hledger.cabal b/hledger.cabal
index af76f89de..4ef210b87 100644
--- a/hledger.cabal
+++ b/hledger.cabal
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ executable hledger
                  ,regexpr >= 0.5.1
                  ,safe >= 0.2
                  ,time
-                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3
+                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3.5 && < 0.4
 
   if flag(chart)
     cpp-options: -DCHART
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ library
                  ,regexpr >= 0.5.1
                  ,safe >= 0.2
                  ,time
-                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3
+                 ,utf8-string >= 0.3.5 && < 0.4
 
 source-repository head
   type:     darcs