diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20230803-102915.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20230803-102915.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6070fb448
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Fixes-20230803-102915.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+kind: Fixes
+body: Requiring Python >=3.8 enables walrus operator
+time: 2023-08-03T10:29:15.371798-06:00
+custom:
+  Author: cemsbr dbeatty10
+  Issue: "849"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 6835fc3d6..391060e09 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 import sys
 
-# require python 3.7 or newer
+# require a supported version of Python
 if sys.version_info < (3, 8):
     print("Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.")
     print("Please upgrade to Python 3.8 or higher.")
@@ -92,5 +92,5 @@ def _dbt_core_version(plugin_version: str) -> str:
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
     ],
-    python_requires=">=3.7",
+    python_requires=">=3.8",
 )