diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyspark/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyspark/default.nix
index a5e35e698c99..7ffcf52bea8a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyspark/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyspark/default.nix
@@ -29,6 +29,17 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
       --replace py4j== 'py4j>='
   '';
 
+  postFixup = ''
+    # find_python_home.py has been wrapped as a shell script
+    substituteInPlace $out/bin/find-spark-home \
+        --replace 'export SPARK_HOME=$($PYSPARK_DRIVER_PYTHON "$FIND_SPARK_HOME_PYTHON_SCRIPT")' \
+                  'export SPARK_HOME=$("$FIND_SPARK_HOME_PYTHON_SCRIPT")'
+    # patch PYTHONPATH in pyspark so that it properly looks at SPARK_HOME
+    substituteInPlace $out/bin/pyspark \
+        --replace 'export PYTHONPATH="''${SPARK_HOME}/python/:$PYTHONPATH"' \
+                  'export PYTHONPATH="''${SPARK_HOME}/..:''${SPARK_HOME}/python/:$PYTHONPATH"'
+  '';
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ py4j ];
 
   passthru.optional-dependencies = {