diff --git a/docs/changelog/3193.feature.rst b/docs/changelog/3193.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c04a364f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/3193.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add the PEP 838 ``python-version`` field to ``pyvenv.cfg``.
diff --git a/src/virtualenv/create/creator.py b/src/virtualenv/create/creator.py
index 800eb28d7..b0b387f82 100644
--- a/src/virtualenv/create/creator.py
+++ b/src/virtualenv/create/creator.py
@@ -223,8 +223,10 @@ def set_pyenv_cfg(self) -> None:
         assert system_executable is not None  # ruff:ignore[assert]
         self.pyenv_cfg["home"] = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(system_executable))
         self.pyenv_cfg["implementation"] = self.interpreter.implementation
-        self.pyenv_cfg["version_info"] = ".".join(str(i) for i in self.interpreter.version_info)
-        self.pyenv_cfg["version"] = ".".join(str(i) for i in self.interpreter.version_info[:3])
+        version_info = self.interpreter.version_info
+        self.pyenv_cfg["python-version"] = f"{version_info.major}.{version_info.minor}"
+        self.pyenv_cfg["version_info"] = ".".join(str(i) for i in version_info)
+        self.pyenv_cfg["version"] = ".".join(str(i) for i in version_info[:3])
         self.pyenv_cfg["executable"] = os.path.realpath(system_executable)
         self.pyenv_cfg["command"] = f"{sys.executable} -m virtualenv {self.dest}"
         self.pyenv_cfg["virtualenv"] = __version__
diff --git a/tests/unit/create/test_creator.py b/tests/unit/create/test_creator.py
index f69d41dc7..b200a5eca 100644
--- a/tests/unit/create/test_creator.py
+++ b/tests/unit/create/test_creator.py
@@ -326,9 +326,10 @@ def test_prompt_set(tmp_path: Path, creator: str, prompt: str | None, monkeypatc
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("creator", CURRENT_CREATORS)
-def test_version_key_in_pyenv_cfg(tmp_path: Path, creator: str) -> None:
+def test_version_keys_in_pyenv_cfg(tmp_path: Path, creator: str) -> None:
     result = cli_run([str(tmp_path), "--seeder", "app-data", "--without-pip", "--creator", creator])
     cfg = PyEnvCfg.from_file(result.creator.pyenv_cfg.path)
+    assert cfg["python-version"] == f"{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}"
     assert "version" in cfg
     parts = cfg["version"].split(".")
     assert len(parts) == 3