diff --git a/scripts/automated_ingestion/eessi_task_payload.py b/scripts/automated_ingestion/eessi_task_payload.py
index 112fcfd1..f3b9f9a0 100644
--- a/scripts/automated_ingestion/eessi_task_payload.py
+++ b/scripts/automated_ingestion/eessi_task_payload.py
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 from typing import Dict
 
 import os
-import tarfile
+import sys
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 14):
+    import tarfile
+else:
+    from backports.zstd import tarfile
 
 from eessi_data_object import EESSIDataAndSignatureObject
 from eessi_logging import log_function_entry_exit
diff --git a/scripts/automated_ingestion/requirements.txt b/scripts/automated_ingestion/requirements.txt
index ddffc717..dac7204a 100644
--- a/scripts/automated_ingestion/requirements.txt
+++ b/scripts/automated_ingestion/requirements.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+backports.zstd ; python_version<'3.14'
 boto3
 pid
 PyGithub