diff --git a/azure-pipelines/pipelines.yaml b/azure-pipelines/pipelines.yaml
index 3d437e6a..0c8f0dff 100644
--- a/azure-pipelines/pipelines.yaml
+++ b/azure-pipelines/pipelines.yaml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ jobs:
     pool: { vmImage: "ubuntu-latest" }
 
     variables:
-      python.version: "3.8"
+      python.version: "3.9"
 
     steps:
 
@@ -57,8 +57,6 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        py38:
-          python.version: "3.8"
         py39:
           python.version: "3.9"
         py310:
@@ -87,8 +85,6 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        py38:
-          python.version: "3.8"
         py39:
           python.version: "3.9"
         py310:
@@ -117,8 +113,6 @@ jobs:
 
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        py38:
-          python.version: "3.8"
         py39:
           python.version: "3.9"
         py39_32:
diff --git a/tests/debugpy/test_exception.py b/tests/debugpy/test_exception.py
index 31f315e7..b45a66c7 100644
--- a/tests/debugpy/test_exception.py
+++ b/tests/debugpy/test_exception.py
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ def test_vsc_exception_options_raise_without_except(
     sys.platform == "darwin",
     reason="https://github.com/microsoft/ptvsd/issues/1988",
 )
+@pytest.mark.flaky(retries=2, delay=1)
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("target", targets.all_named)
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("run", runners.all)
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("raised", ["raised", ""])
diff --git a/tests/requirements.txt b/tests/requirements.txt
index 12784fe3..fa0a4ea5 100644
--- a/tests/requirements.txt
+++ b/tests/requirements.txt
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ pytest
 pytest-xdist
 pytest-cov
 pytest-timeout
+pytest-retry
 
 ## Used by test helpers: