diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/http-ece/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/http-ece/default.nix
index eafa429b439..638191ee7fc 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/http-ece/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/http-ece/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-{ lib, fetchPypi, buildPythonPackage
-, coverage, flake8, mock, nose
+{ lib, fetchPypi, buildPythonPackage, pythonOlder
+, coverage, flake8, mock, nose, importlib-metadata
 , cryptography }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "1y5ln09ji4dwpzhxr77cggk02kghq7lql60a6969a5n2lwpvqblk";
   };
 
-  propagatedBuildInputs = [ cryptography ];
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ cryptography ]
+    ++ lib.optionals (pythonOlder "3.8") [ importlib-metadata ];
 
   checkInputs = [ coverage flake8 mock nose ];