diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/default.nix
index 5b825fa91a51..c7445394aa9b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/default.nix
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   fetchFromGitHub,
   setuptools,
   nbformat,
-  nose,
+  pytestCheckHook,
 }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
@@ -19,20 +19,17 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     hash = "sha256-Uqs/SO/AculHCFYcbjW08kLQX5GSU/eAwkN2iy/vhLM=";
   };
 
+  patches = [ ./pytest-compatibility.patch ];
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ setuptools ];
 
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ nbformat ];
 
-  nativeCheckInputs = [ nose ];
-
-  checkPhase = ''
-    runHook preCheck
+  nativeCheckInputs = [ pytestCheckHook ];
 
+  postCheck = ''
     patchShebangs .
-    nosetests -v
     PATH=$PATH:$out/bin ./cli_tests.sh
-
-    runHook postCheck
   '';
 
   pythonImportsCheck = [ "nbmerge" ];
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/pytest-compatibility.patch b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/pytest-compatibility.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..81ea4c4218f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nbmerge/pytest-compatibility.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+diff --git a/tests/test_merge.py b/tests/test_merge.py
+index 06ee559..9d7b1af 100644
+--- a/tests/test_merge.py
++++ b/tests/test_merge.py
+@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
++import io
+ import os
+ import sys
+ import unittest
+@@ -21,8 +22,7 @@ def file_names_from(file_paths):
+ 
+ class TestMerge(unittest.TestCase):
+     def setUp(self):
+-        if not hasattr(sys.stdout, "getvalue"):
+-            self.fail("need to run in buffered mode")
++        sys.stdout = io.StringIO()
+ 
+     def _validate_merged_three(self, merged):
+         self.assertEqual(len(merged.cells), 6)