diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyvex/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyvex/default.nix
index c1727a85f8fb..5f9701230544 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyvex/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pyvex/default.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   stdenv,
   bitstring,
   buildPythonPackage,
+  buildPackages,
   cffi,
   fetchPypi,
   pycparser,
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     pycparser
   ];
 
+  depsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ];
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cffi ];
+
   postPatch = lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin ''
     substituteInPlace vex/Makefile-gcc \
       --replace-fail '/usr/bin/ar' 'ar'