diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/default.nix
index 36c297358e8..b1b0c70d860 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/default.nix
@@ -35,10 +35,16 @@ in buildPythonPackage rec {
     export BOOST_PYTHON_LIB="boost_python${pythonVersion}"
     export BOOST_THREAD_LIB="boost_thread"
     export BOOST_SYSTEM_LIB="boost_system"
+    export PYCAIRO=true
   '';
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     mapnik # for mapnik_config
+    pkgs.pkgconfig
+  ];
+
+  patches = [
+    ./find-pycairo-with-pkg-config.patch
   ];
 
   buildInputs = [
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/find-pycairo-with-pkg-config.patch b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/find-pycairo-with-pkg-config.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1f35af36ee8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/python-mapnik/find-pycairo-with-pkg-config.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
+index 82a31d733..1c876a553 100755
+--- a/setup.py
++++ b/setup.py
+@@ -228,10 +228,9 @@ extra_comp_args = list(filter(lambda arg: arg != "-fvisibility=hidden", extra_co
+ if os.environ.get("PYCAIRO", "false") == "true":
+     try:
+         extra_comp_args.append('-DHAVE_PYCAIRO')
+-        print("-I%s/include/pycairo".format(sys.exec_prefix))
+-        extra_comp_args.append("-I{0}/include/pycairo".format(sys.exec_prefix))
+-        #extra_comp_args.extend(check_output(["pkg-config", '--cflags', 'pycairo']).strip().split(' '))
+-        #linkflags.extend(check_output(["pkg-config", '--libs', 'pycairo']).strip().split(' '))
++        pycairo_name = 'py3cairo' if PYTHON3 else 'pycairo'
++        extra_comp_args.extend(check_output(["pkg-config", '--cflags', pycairo_name]).strip().split(' '))
++        linkflags.extend(check_output(["pkg-config", '--libs', pycairo_name]).strip().split(' '))
+     except:
+         raise Exception("Failed to find compiler options for pycairo")
+