diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
index 9a0a18488aa7..9c7cd10e2eda 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
@@ -506,6 +506,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
       "ac_cv_func_lchmod=no"
     ]
     ++ optionals static [
+      "--disable-test-modules"
       "LDFLAGS=-static"
       "MODULE_BUILDTYPE=static"
     ]
@@ -597,7 +598,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
           echo $item
         fi
       done
+    ''
+    + lib.optionalString (!static) ''
       touch $out/lib/${libPrefix}/test/__init__.py
+    ''
+    + ''
 
       # Determinism: Windows installers were not deterministic.
       # We're also not interested in building Windows installers.