diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/laspy/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/laspy/default.nix
index 9e68b13137f5..39057be18dcc 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/laspy/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/laspy/default.nix
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
   fetchPypi,
   numpy,
   laszip,
+  lazrs,
   setuptools,
   pytestCheckHook,
   pythonOlder,
@@ -11,14 +12,14 @@
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "laspy";
-  version = "2.5.4";
+  version = "2.6.1";
   format = "pyproject";
 
   disabled = pythonOlder "3.7";
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;
-    hash = "sha256-7r2/M3mvvAsk5+SBL6xWe/+IDR6FH3AXXSI3Wq7N9+E=";
+    hash = "sha256-zpy5oYUosqK5hVg99ApN6mjN2nmV5H5LALbUjfDojao=";
   };
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ setuptools ];
@@ -26,13 +27,17 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     numpy
     laszip
+    lazrs # much faster laz reading, see https://laspy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html#laz-support
   ];
 
   nativeCheckInputs = [ pytestCheckHook ];
 
   pythonImportsCheck = [
     "laspy"
+    # `laspy` supports multiple backends and detects them dynamically.
+    # We check their importability to make sure they are all working.
     "laszip"
+    "lazrs"
   ];
 
   meta = with lib; {
@@ -42,5 +47,6 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     changelog = "https://github.com/laspy/laspy/blob/${version}/CHANGELOG.md";
     license = licenses.bsd2;
     maintainers = with maintainers; [ matthewcroughan ];
+    teams = [ teams.geospatial ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/lazrs/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/lazrs/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f0c24b250675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/lazrs/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+{
+  lib,
+  buildPythonPackage,
+  fetchPypi,
+  rustPlatform,
+}:
+buildPythonPackage rec {
+  pname = "lazrs";
+  version = "0.7.0";
+
+  format = "pyproject";
+
+  src = fetchPypi {
+    inherit pname version;
+    hash = "sha256-UxkbNRwdn6RfdEcWmDhL9CveFFmTCWRfudTDU/D7fyQ=";
+  };
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    rustPlatform.cargoSetupHook
+    rustPlatform.maturinBuildHook
+  ];
+
+  cargoDeps = rustPlatform.fetchCargoVendor {
+    inherit src;
+    inherit pname version;
+    hash = "sha256-GVb34eznC5/TA/SpvDq9uJ9M3nUTfx0KyfRFd4WUyCI=";
+  };
+
+  pythonImportsCheck = [ "lazrs" ];
+
+  meta = {
+    description = "Python bindings for laz-rs";
+    homepage = "https://github.com/laz-rs/laz-rs-python";
+    license = lib.licenses.mit;
+    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [
+      nh2
+      chpatrick
+    ];
+    teams = [ lib.teams.geospatial ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 25848319e518..12e28b5b02bb 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -7933,6 +7933,8 @@ self: super: with self; {
 
   lazr-uri = callPackage ../development/python-modules/lazr-uri { };
 
+  lazrs = callPackage ../development/python-modules/lazrs { };
+
   lazy = callPackage ../development/python-modules/lazy { };
 
   lazy-imports = callPackage ../development/python-modules/lazy-imports { };