diff --git a/packaging/python/build_requirements.txt b/packaging/python/build_requirements.txt
index 29d2c1b080..71fe06794e 100644
--- a/packaging/python/build_requirements.txt
+++ b/packaging/python/build_requirements.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
 cython
 packaging
-numpy==1.17.5;python_version=='3.8'
-numpy==1.19.3;python_version=='3.9' and platform_machine!='arm64'
-numpy==1.21.3;python_version=='3.9' and platform_machine=='arm64'
-numpy==1.21.4;python_version=='3.10'
-numpy==1.23.5;python_version=='3.11'
-numpy==1.26.0;python_version=='3.12'
+numpy
diff --git a/packaging/python/test_requirements.txt b/packaging/python/test_requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d11ae10b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/python/test_requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# General test requirements
+pytest
+setuptools;python_version>='3.12' # From 3.12, no longer installed by default
+
+# Oldest supported numpy versions
+numpy==1.17.5;python_version=='3.8'
+numpy==1.19.3;python_version=='3.9' and platform_machine!='arm64'
+numpy==1.21.3;python_version=='3.9' and platform_machine=='arm64'
+numpy==1.21.4;python_version=='3.10'
+numpy==1.23.5;python_version=='3.11'
+numpy==1.26.0;python_version=='3.12'
diff --git a/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh b/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
index fbbe2c73c1..ac0cfab918 100755
--- a/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
+++ b/packaging/python/test_wheels.sh
@@ -257,10 +257,8 @@ fi
 $python_exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
 
 
-# install numpy, pytest and neuron
-# we install setuptools because since python 3.12 it is no more installed
-# by default
-$python_exe -m pip install "numpy" pytest setuptools
+# install test requirements
+$python_exe -m pip install -r packaging/python/test_requirements.txt
 $python_exe -m pip install $python_wheel
 $python_exe -m pip show neuron || $python_exe -m pip show neuron-nightly