diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index e4fc66ccc..a4e2c7a45 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: '3.8'
+          python-version: '3.9'
 
       - name: Install python dependencies
         run: |
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out the repository
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Python
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: '3.8'
+          python-version: '3.9'
 
       - name: Install python dependencies
         run: |
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-12, windows-latest]
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
 
     steps:
       - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-internal.yml b/.github/workflows/release-internal.yml
index 1a5090312..702ef9aea 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-internal.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-internal.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ defaults:
     shell: "bash"
 
 env:
-  PYTHON_TARGET_VERSION: 3.8
+  PYTHON_TARGET_VERSION: 3.9
 
 jobs:
   run-unit-tests:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-prep.yml b/.github/workflows/release-prep.yml
index 9937463d3..d5878ec1e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-prep.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-prep.yml
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ defaults:
     shell: bash
 
 env:
-  PYTHON_TARGET_VERSION: 3.8
+  PYTHON_TARGET_VERSION: 3.9
   NOTIFICATION_PREFIX: "[Release Preparation]"
 
 jobs:
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12"]
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out the repository
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1e8ff7411..70078b88c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -46,3 +46,4 @@ test.env
 dbt-integration-tests
 /.tool-versions
 /.hypothesis/*
+.venv/
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ff4c0fc1b..76b83e8e0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ unit: ## Runs unit tests with py38.
 test: ## Runs unit tests with py38 and code checks against staged changes.
 	@\
 	python -m pytest tests/unit; \
-	python dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py --profile spark_session \
-	pre-commit run --all-files
+	pre-commit run --all-files; \
+	python dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py --profile spark_session
 
 .PHONY: clean
 	@echo "cleaning repo"
diff --git a/dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py b/dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py
index 67fa56587..6c310a6f8 100644
--- a/dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py
+++ b/dagger/run_dbt_spark_tests.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ async def test_spark(test_args):
         platform = dagger.Platform("linux/amd64")
         tst_container = (
             client.container(platform=platform)
-            .from_("python:3.8-slim")
+            .from_("python:3.9-slim")
             .with_mounted_cache("/var/cache/apt/archives", os_reqs_cache)
             .with_mounted_cache("/root/.cache/pip", pip_cache)
             # install OS deps first so any local changes don't invalidate the cache
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 00aeba60d..7ed28be15 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 import sys
 import re
 
-# require python 3.8 or newer
-if sys.version_info < (3, 8):
+# require python 3.9 or newer
+if sys.version_info < (3, 9):
     print("Error: dbt does not support this version of Python.")
-    print("Please upgrade to Python 3.8 or higher.")
+    print("Please upgrade to Python 3.9 or higher.")
     sys.exit(1)
 
 # require version of setuptools that supports find_namespace_packages
@@ -83,11 +83,10 @@ def _get_plugin_version_dict():
         "Operating System :: Microsoft :: Windows",
         "Operating System :: MacOS :: MacOS X",
         "Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12",
     ],
-    python_requires=">=3.8",
+    python_requires=">=3.9",
 )