diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/meep/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/meep/default.nix
index 16920fd860be..472e84c2edb2 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/meep/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/meep/default.nix
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
   cython,
   autograd,
   mpi4py,
+  distutils,
 }:
 
 assert !blas.isILP64;
@@ -46,12 +47,6 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
 
   format = "other";
 
-  # https://github.com/NanoComp/meep/issues/2819
-  postPatch = lib.optionalString (!pythonOlder "3.12") ''
-    substituteInPlace configure.ac doc/docs/setup.py python/visualization.py \
-      --replace-fail "distutils" "setuptools._distutils"
-  '';
-
   # MPI is needed in nativeBuildInputs too, otherwise MPI libs will be missing
   # at runtime
   nativeBuildInputs = [
@@ -76,9 +71,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     mpb
   ];
 
-  propagatedBuildInputs =
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ mpi ];
+
+  dependencies =
     [
-      mpi
       numpy
       scipy
       matplotlib
@@ -89,6 +85,7 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     ]
     ++ lib.optionals (!pythonOlder "3.12") [
       setuptools # used in python/visualization.py
+      distutils
     ];
 
   propagatedUserEnvPkgs = [ mpi ];
@@ -100,7 +97,7 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
 
   preConfigure = ''
     export HDF5_MPI=ON
-    export PYTHON=${python}/bin/${python.executable};
+    export PYTHON=${python.interpreter};
   '';
 
   configureFlags = [