diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/tables/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/tables/default.nix
index 444901d9aaf..b664b882b28 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/tables/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/tables/default.nix
@@ -6,16 +6,27 @@ with stdenv.lib;
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   version = "3.6.0";
   pname = "tables";
-  disabled = isPy38; # unable to build, remove with next bump.
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;
     sha256 = "0k9xc0b49j311r6yayw7wzjay6ch3jznijhzc4x33yv490hqhd6v";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ hdf5 cython bzip2 lzo c-blosc ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cython ];
+
+  buildInputs = [ hdf5 bzip2 lzo c-blosc ];
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ numpy numexpr six mock ];
 
+  # When doing `make distclean`, ignore docs
+  postPatch = ''
+    substituteInPlace Makefile --replace "src doc" "src"
+  '';
+
+  # Regenerate C code with Cython
+  preBuild = ''
+    make distclean
+  '';
+
   # The setup script complains about missing run-paths, but they are
   # actually set.
   setupPyBuildFlags = [