diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/itstool/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/itstool/default.nix
index 9368a3c1acf8..dd536685485a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/itstool/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/itstool/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, python2, libxml2Python }:
-# We need the same Python as is used to build libxml2Python
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, python3 }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   # 2.0.3+ breaks the build of gnome3.gnome-desktop
@@ -11,14 +10,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "bf909fb59b11a646681a8534d5700fec99be83bb2c57badf8c1844512227033a";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ python2 libxml2Python ];
-
-  patchPhase =
-    ''
-      sed -e '/import libxml2/i import sys\
-      sys.path.append("${libxml2Python}/lib/${python2.libPrefix}/site-packages")' \
-      -i itstool.in
-    '';
+  buildInputs = [ (python3.withPackages(ps: with ps; [ libxml2 ])) ];
 
   meta = {
     homepage = http://itstool.org/;