diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/mmengine/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/mmengine/default.nix
index 3de90cbfd427..816b042cf7bf 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/mmengine/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/mmengine/default.nix
@@ -52,10 +52,22 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     })
   ];
 
-  postPatch = ''
-    substituteInPlace tests/test_config/test_lazy.py \
-      --replace-fail "import numpy.compat" ""
-  '';
+  postPatch =
+    # Fails in python >= 3.13
+    # exec(compile(f.read(), version_file, "exec")) does not populate the locals() namesp
+    # In python 3.13, the locals() dictionary in a function does not automatically update with
+    # changes made by exec().
+    # https://peps.python.org/pep-0558/
+    ''
+      substituteInPlace setup.py \
+        --replace-fail \
+          "return locals()['__version__']" \
+          "return '${version}'"
+    ''
+    + ''
+      substituteInPlace tests/test_config/test_lazy.py \
+        --replace-fail "import numpy.compat" ""
+    '';
 
   build-system = [ setuptools ];