diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/builder.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 43ad139fe74..00000000000
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/builder.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-source $stdenv/setup
-
-# do not allow distutils to make downloads, whatever install command is used
-export PYTHONPATH="${offlineDistutils}/lib/${python.libPrefix}:$PYTHONPATH"
-
-genericBuild
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
index 59e7da770c2..a2c3627cd63 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/generic/default.nix
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
       python setup.py test
       runHook postCheck
     ''
+, configurePhase ? "true"
 
 , postInstall ? ""
 
@@ -47,7 +48,10 @@ python.stdenv.mkDerivation (attrs // {
 
   buildInputStrings = map toString buildInputs;
 
-  builder = ./builder.sh;
+  configurePhase = ''
+    export PYTHONPATH="${offlineDistutils}/lib/${python.libPrefix}:$PYTHONPATH"
+    ${configurePhase}
+  '';
 
   pythonPath = [ setuptools] ++ pythonPath;