diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index dc1f3bd5..5a8f1e71 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: "Lint plugin_template"
         working-directory: "plugin_template"
         run: |
-          pip3 install black flake8
+          pip3 install black==23.12.1 flake8
           black --version
           black --check --diff plugin-template utils.py
           flake8 plugin-template utils.py
diff --git a/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2 b/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
index 4035c1c3..b90ceedc 100755
--- a/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
+++ b/templates/github/.ci/scripts/collect_changes.py.j2
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@ tc_settings = toml.load("pyproject.toml")["tool"]["towncrier"]
 CHANGELOG_FILE = tc_settings.get("filename", "NEWS.rst")
 START_STRING = tc_settings.get(
     "start_string",
-    "<!-- towncrier release notes start -->\n"
-    if CHANGELOG_FILE.endswith(".md")
-    else ".. towncrier release notes start\n",
+    (
+        "<!-- towncrier release notes start -->\n"
+        if CHANGELOG_FILE.endswith(".md")
+        else ".. towncrier release notes start\n"
+    ),
 )
 TITLE_FORMAT = tc_settings.get("title_format", "{name} {version} ({project_date})")
 
diff --git a/templates/github/lint_requirements.txt.j2 b/templates/github/lint_requirements.txt.j2
index 17f33e01..cf9f1e8e 100644
--- a/templates/github/lint_requirements.txt.j2
+++ b/templates/github/lint_requirements.txt.j2
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # python packages handy for developers, but not required by pulp
 {% if black -%}
-black
+black==23.12.1
 {% endif -%}
 check-manifest
 flake8