diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/transformers/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/transformers/default.nix
index edfd88f95388..d8874424cb4d 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/transformers/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/transformers/default.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   lib,
   buildPythonPackage,
   fetchFromGitHub,
+  fetchpatch,
 
   # build-system
   setuptools,
@@ -68,6 +69,15 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     hash = "sha256-jh2bMmvTC0G0kLJl7xXpsvXvBmlbZEDA88AfosoE9sA=";
   };
 
+  patches = [
+    # Remove on the next major version bump
+    (fetchpatch {
+      url = "https://github.com/huggingface/transformers/commit/db864b5526d56fd99143619abff969bfcb5596d5.patch?full_index=1";
+      name = "dont-import-torch-distributed-if-not-available.patch";
+      hash = "sha256-XOraJmSt9Rp/oNiil6vDUBqZhd8MDbA0nz1Tx16Mk14=";
+    })
+  ];
+
   build-system = [ setuptools ];
 
   dependencies = [