diff -urNp -x '*.orig' Sphinx-1.8.5.org/sphinx/application.py Sphinx-1.8.5/sphinx/application.py
--- Sphinx-1.8.5.org/sphinx/application.py	2019-03-10 08:47:02.000000000 +0100
+++ Sphinx-1.8.5/sphinx/application.py	2021-02-27 11:42:43.303622883 +0100
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class Sphinx(object):
         self._init_i18n()
 
         # check the Sphinx version if requested
-        if self.config.needs_sphinx and self.config.needs_sphinx > sphinx.__display_version__:
+        if self.config.needs_sphinx and str(self.config.needs_sphinx) > sphinx.__display_version__:
             raise VersionRequirementError(
                 __('This project needs at least Sphinx v%s and therefore cannot '
                    'be built with this version.') % self.config.needs_sphinx)