diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c2b2ba3..d99599a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -19,14 +19,12 @@ classifiers = [
         "Operating System :: OS Independent",
         "Programming Language :: Python",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.6",
-        "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.7",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
 ]
-requires-python = ">= 3.6"
+requires-python = ">= 3.8"
 dependencies = [
         'importlib-metadata; python_version < "3.10"',
         "python-configuration",
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index eb50f04..7691fcc 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -1,20 +1,11 @@
 
 [tox]
-envlist = py36, py37, py38, py39, py310, py311, nodb
-
-# TODO: can remove this when we drop py36 support
-# nb. need this for testing older python versions
-# https://tox.wiki/en/latest/faq.html#testing-end-of-life-python-versions
-requires = virtualenv<20.22.0
+envlist = py38, py39, py310, py311, nodb
 
 [testenv]
 extras = db,docs,tests
 commands = pytest {posargs}
 
-[testenv:py37]
-# nb. newer coverage is causing segfault for this one, so must avoid that
-deps = coverage<6.5
-
 [testenv:nodb]
 extras = tests