diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pycurl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pycurl/default.nix
index 5f9334ebb1ee..ddc5003106ae 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pycurl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pycurl/default.nix
@@ -10,24 +10,31 @@
   bottle,
   pytestCheckHook,
   flaky,
+  setuptools,
 }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "pycurl";
   version = "7.45.3";
-  format = "setuptools";
-  disabled = isPyPy || (pythonOlder "3.5"); # https://github.com/pycurl/pycurl/issues/208
+  pyproject = true;
+
+  disabled = isPyPy || pythonOlder "3.8"; # https://github.com/pycurl/pycurl/issues/208
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;
     hash = "sha256-jCRxr5B5rXmOFkXsCw09QiPbaHN50X3TanBjdEn4HWs=";
   };
 
+  __darwinAllowLocalNetworking = true;
+
   preConfigure = ''
-    substituteInPlace setup.py --replace '--static-libs' '--libs'
+    substituteInPlace setup.py \
+      --replace-fail '--static-libs' '--libs'
     export PYCURL_SSL_LIBRARY=openssl
   '';
 
+  build-system = [ setuptools ];
+
   buildInputs = [
     curl
     openssl
@@ -35,12 +42,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ curl ];
 
-  __darwinAllowLocalNetworking = true;
-
   nativeCheckInputs = [
     bottle
-    pytestCheckHook
     flaky
+    pytestCheckHook
   ];
 
   pytestFlagsArray = [
@@ -52,6 +57,8 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     export HOME=$TMPDIR
   '';
 
+  pythonImportsCheck = [ "pycurl" ];
+
   disabledTests =
     [
       # tests that require network access
@@ -76,6 +83,8 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
       "test_request_with_verifypeer"
       # https://github.com/pycurl/pycurl/issues/836
       "test_proxy_tlsauth"
+      # AssertionError: 'Москва' != '\n...
+      "test_encoded_unicode_header"
     ]
     ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin && stdenv.hostPlatform.isAarch64) [
       # Fatal Python error: Segmentation fault
@@ -83,8 +92,12 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     ];
 
   meta = with lib; {
-    homepage = "http://pycurl.io/";
     description = "Python Interface To The cURL library";
+    homepage = "http://pycurl.io/";
+    changelog =
+      "https://github.com/pycurl/pycurl/blob/REL_"
+      + replaceStrings [ "." ] [ "_" ] version
+      + "/ChangeLog";
     license = with licenses; [
       lgpl2Only
       mit