diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
index e9d6c97cfd4..ca4fae51269 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
@@ -100,6 +100,13 @@ let
       # libuuid, slowing down program startup a lot).
       ./no-ldconfig.patch
 
+      # Optimize symbol tables for the sake of dynamic linking.
+      # Significant for Python because of extension modules.
+      (fetchpatch {
+        url = "https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3/-/raw/27103a32e/debian/patches/link-opt.diff";
+        sha256 = "0vp36276ndbrwr7882vg7vjd61c8mv7bqgal6bbh2fimp6zlkdhv";
+      })
+
     ] ++ optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isCygwin [
       ./2.5.2-ctypes-util-find_library.patch
       ./2.5.2-tkinter-x11.patch
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
index b860e357b04..dc3997481be 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
@@ -97,6 +97,31 @@ in with passthru; stdenv.mkDerivation {
     # (since it will do a futile invocation of gcc (!) to find
     # libuuid, slowing down program startup a lot).
     (./. + "/${sourceVersion.major}.${sourceVersion.minor}/no-ldconfig.patch")
+  ] ++ optionals stdenv.isLinux [
+    # Optimize symbol tables for the sake of dynamic linking.
+    # Significant for Python because of extension modules.
+    (
+      if pythonAtLeast "3.8" then
+        fetchpatch {
+          url = "https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3/-/raw/3.8.3rc1-1/debian/patches/link-opt.diff";
+          sha256 = "0va85318nahnqgydwjs7723h8gx41inbdawdy6v4hiykzgc8s7vs";
+        }
+      else if isPy37 then
+        fetchurl {
+          url = "https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3/-/raw/3.7.6-1/debian/patches/link-opt.diff";
+          sha256 = "1aqvsc0p3sxnfsi8jz7537wl6v95v26ba4nflwvmn5lxlc3y3g13";
+        }
+      else if isPy36 then
+        fetchpatch {
+          url = "https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3/-/raw/3.6.8-1/debian/patches/link-opt.diff";
+          sha256 = "1nhdrgla75ily9gk7xx0crxa7ynqzks0djxk36sa3lgg5w8vjvyr";
+        }
+      else
+        fetchpatch {
+          url = "https://salsa.debian.org/cpython-team/python3/-/raw/27103a32e/debian/patches/link-opt.diff";
+          sha256 = "0vp36276ndbrwr7882vg7vjd61c8mv7bqgal6bbh2fimp6zlkdhv";
+        }
+    )
   ] ++ optionals (isPy35 || isPy36) [
     # Determinism: Write null timestamps when compiling python files.
     ./3.5/force_bytecode_determinism.patch