diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/0001-python-enum-fix-build-for-Python-3.11.patch b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/0001-python-enum-fix-build-for-Python-3.11.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 11b554151790..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/0001-python-enum-fix-build-for-Python-3.11.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,61 +0,0 @@
-From 64de7911d2938fc3601fec39c08008465b9d4f6f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
-From: Nick Cao <nickcao@nichi.co>
-Date: Tue, 7 Feb 2023 17:12:50 +0800
-Subject: [PATCH] python: enum: fix build for Python 3.11
-MIME-Version: 1.0
-Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
-Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
-
-Python 3.9 introduced Py_SET_SIZE function to set size instead of
-relying on Py_SIZE() as a macro [3.9].
-
-Python 3.10 started to encourage to use Py_SET_SIZE instead of
-assigning into return value of Py_SIZE [3.10].
-
-Python 3.11 flips the switch, turn Py_SIZE into a function [3.11],
-thus Py_SIZE(obj) will be a rvalue. We need to use Py_SET_SIZE
-to set size now.
-
-[3.9]: https://docs.python.org/3.9/c-api/structures.html#c.Py_SET_SIZE
-[3.10]: https://docs.python.org/3.10/c-api/structures.html#c.Py_SIZE
-[3.11]: https://docs.python.org/3.11/c-api/structures.html#c.Py_SIZE
-
-Adapted from https://github.com/mchehab/zbar/pull/231
-
-Signed-off-by: Đoàn Trần Công Danh <congdanhqx@gmail.com>
-Signed-off-by: Nick Cao <nickcao@nichi.co>
----
- python/enum.c | 8 ++++++++
- 1 file changed, 8 insertions(+)
-
-diff --git a/python/enum.c b/python/enum.c
-index dfe1b1e..4833a20 100644
---- a/python/enum.c
-+++ b/python/enum.c
-@@ -52,7 +52,11 @@ enumitem_new (PyTypeObject *type,
- 
-     /* we assume the "fast path" for a single-digit ints (see longobject.c) */
-     /* this also holds if we get a small_int preallocated long */
-+#if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x030900A4
-+    Py_SET_SIZE(&self->val, Py_SIZE(longval));
-+#else
-     Py_SIZE(&self->val) = Py_SIZE(longval);
-+#endif
-     self->val.ob_digit[0] = longval->ob_digit[0];
-     Py_DECREF(longval);
- #else
-@@ -143,7 +147,11 @@ zbarEnumItem_New (PyObject *byname,
- 
-     /* we assume the "fast path" for a single-digit ints (see longobject.c) */
-     /* this also holds if we get a small_int preallocated long */
-+#if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x030900A4
-+    Py_SET_SIZE(&self->val, Py_SIZE(longval));
-+#else
-     Py_SIZE(&self->val) = Py_SIZE(longval);
-+#endif
-     self->val.ob_digit[0] = longval->ob_digit[0];
-     Py_DECREF(longval);
- 
--- 
-2.39.1
-
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/default.nix
index a7c28b2992d4..539823f064ac 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-zbar/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 { lib
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchFromGitHub
+, pythonAtLeast
+, setuptools
 , pillow
 , zbar
 , pytestCheckHook
@@ -9,7 +11,10 @@
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "python-zbar";
   version = "0.23.93";
-  format = "setuptools";
+  pyproject = true;
+
+  # distutils usage in setup.py
+  disabled = pythonAtLeast "3.12";
 
   src = fetchFromGitHub {
     owner = "mchehab";
@@ -18,23 +23,18 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     hash = "sha256-6gOqMsmlYy6TK+iYPIBsCPAk8tYDliZYMYeTOidl4XQ=";
   };
 
-  patches = [
-    # python: enum: fix build for Python 3.11
-    # https://github.com/mchehab/zbar/pull/231
-    # the patch is reworked as it does not cleanly apply
-    ./0001-python-enum-fix-build-for-Python-3.11.patch
-  ];
+  postPatch = ''
+    cd python
+  '';
 
-  propagatedBuildInputs = [ pillow ];
+  build-system = [ setuptools ];
+
+  dependencies = [ pillow ];
 
   buildInputs = [ zbar ];
 
   nativeCheckInputs = [ pytestCheckHook ];
 
-  preBuild = ''
-    cd python
-  '';
-
   disabledTests = [
     #AssertionError: b'Y800' != 'Y800'
     "test_format"
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     #Requires loading a recording device
     #zbar.SystemError: <zbar.Processor object at 0x7ffff615a680>
     "test_processing"
+    # Version too long?
+    # self.assertEqual(len(ver), 2)
+    "test_version"
   ];
 
   pythonImportsCheck = [ "zbar" ];