diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipype/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipype/default.nix
index ab81b2b190b5..5944e4d863f6 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipype/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipype/default.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
 , isPy3k
+, isPy38
 # python dependencies
 , click
 , configparser ? null
@@ -109,5 +110,7 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     description = "Neuroimaging in Python: Pipelines and Interfaces";
     license = licenses.bsd3;
     maintainers = with maintainers; [ ashgillman ];
+    # tests hang, blocking reviews of other packages
+    broken = isPy38;
   };
 }