diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/keyutils/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/keyutils/default.nix
index 031ae5a65c39..c387c10ebc34 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/keyutils/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/keyutils/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
-{ lib, buildPythonPackage, fetchFromGitHub, keyutils, pytest-runner, pytest }:
+{ lib
+, buildPythonPackage
+, cython
+, fetchFromGitHub
+, keyutils
+, pytestCheckHook
+}:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "keyutils";
@@ -16,8 +22,19 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     substituteInPlace setup.py --replace '"pytest-runner"' ""
   '';
 
+  preBuild = ''
+    cython keyutils/_keyutils.pyx
+  '';
+
+  preCheck = ''
+    rm -rf keyutils
+  '';
+
   buildInputs = [ keyutils ];
-  nativeCheckInputs = [ pytest pytest-runner ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cython ];
+  nativeCheckInputs = [
+    pytestCheckHook
+  ];
 
   meta = {
     description = "A set of python bindings for keyutils";