diff --git a/pkg/dnfjson/dnfjson.go b/pkg/dnfjson/dnfjson.go
index 3640cd7536..efef35c9af 100644
--- a/pkg/dnfjson/dnfjson.go
+++ b/pkg/dnfjson/dnfjson.go
@@ -460,10 +460,12 @@ func (s *Solver) makeDepsolveRequest(pkgSets []rpmmd.PackageSet) (*Request, map[
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+
 	args := arguments{
-		Repos:        dnfRepoMap,
-		RootDir:      s.rootDir,
-		Transactions: transactions,
+		Repos:            dnfRepoMap,
+		RootDir:          s.rootDir,
+		Transactions:     transactions,
+		OptionalMetadata: s.optionalMetadataForDistro(),
 	}
 
 	req := Request{
@@ -479,6 +481,20 @@ func (s *Solver) makeDepsolveRequest(pkgSets []rpmmd.PackageSet) (*Request, map[
 	return &req, rhsmMap, nil
 }
 
+func (s *Solver) optionalMetadataForDistro() []string {
+	// filelist repo metadata is required when using newer versions of libdnf
+	// with old repositories or packages that specify dependencies on files.
+	// EL10+ and Fedora 40+ packaging guidelines prohibit depending on
+	// filepaths so filelist downloads are disabled by default and are not
+	// required when depsolving for those distros. Explicitly enable the option
+	// for older distro versions in case we are using a newer libdnf.
+	switch s.modulePlatformID {
+	case "platform:f39", "platform:el7", "platform:el8", "platform:el9":
+		return []string{"filelists"}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Helper function for creating a dump request payload
 func (s *Solver) makeDumpRequest(repos []rpmmd.RepoConfig) (*Request, error) {
 	dnfRepos, err := s.reposFromRPMMD(repos)