diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/python-namespaces-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/python-namespaces-hook.sh
index ebc94e076c8..15d2bd0eb34 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/python-namespaces-hook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/hooks/python-namespaces-hook.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ pythonNamespacesHook() {
 
             # remove __pycache__/ entry, can be interpreter specific. E.g. __init__.cpython-38.pyc
             # use null characters to perserve potential whitespace in filepath
-            @findutils@/bin/find $pycachePath -name '__init__*' -print0 | xargs -0 rm -v
+            if [ -d "$pycachePath" ]; then
+                @findutils@/bin/find "$pycachePath" -name '__init__*' -exec rm -v "{}" +
+            fi
         done
     done