diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/bitlist/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/bitlist/default.nix
index 6571c93470c2..4c97f84cc7f3 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/bitlist/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/bitlist/default.nix
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 { lib
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
+, fetchpatch
 , setuptools
-, nose
+, wheel
 , parts
 , pytestCheckHook
 , pythonOlder
@@ -20,8 +21,23 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     hash = "sha256-eViakuhgSe9E8ltxzeg8m6/ze7QQvoKBtYZoBZzHxlA=";
   };
 
+  patches = [
+    # https://github.com/lapets/bitlist/pull/1
+    (fetchpatch {
+      name = "unpin-setuptools-dependency.patch";
+      url = "https://github.com/lapets/bitlist/commit/d1f977a9e835852df358b2d93b642a6820619c10.patch";
+      hash = "sha256-BBa6gdhuYsWahtp+Qdp/RigmVHK+uWyK46M1CdD8O2g=";
+    })
+  ];
+
+  postPatch = ''
+    substituteInPlace pyproject.toml \
+      --replace '--cov=bitlist --cov-report term-missing' ""
+  '';
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     setuptools
+    wheel
   ];
 
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
@@ -30,18 +46,12 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
 
   nativeCheckInputs = [
     pytestCheckHook
-    nose
   ];
 
   pythonImportsCheck = [
     "bitlist"
   ];
 
-  postPatch = ''
-    substituteInPlace pyproject.toml \
-      --replace "--doctest-modules --ignore=docs --cov=bitlist --cov-report term-missing" ""
-  '';
-
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Python library for working with little-endian list representation of bit strings";
     homepage = "https://github.com/lapets/bitlist";