diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/setuptools-build-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/setuptools-build-hook.sh
index cc0377449251..89a95e982197 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/setuptools-build-hook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/setuptools-build-hook.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ setuptoolsBuildPhase() {
     if [ -n "$setupPyGlobalFlags" ]; then
         args+="$setupPyGlobalFlags"
     fi
+    if [ -n "$enableParallelBuilding" ]; then
+        setupPyBuildFlags+="--parallel $NIX_BUILD_CORES"
+    fi
     if [ -n "$setupPyBuildFlags" ]; then
         args+="build_ext $setupPyBuildFlags"
     fi