diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/colorcet/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/colorcet/default.nix
index 6a7328aaf73c..f92f8004ac00 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/colorcet/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/colorcet/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ lib
+{ stdenv
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
 , param
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     mkdir -p $HOME/.config/matplotlib
     echo "backend: ps" > $HOME/.config/matplotlib/matplotlibrc
 
-    pytest colorcet
+    # disable matplotlib tests on darwin, because it requires a framework build of Python
+    pytest ${stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin "--ignore=colorcet/tests/test_matplotlib.py"} colorcet
   '';
 
-  meta = with lib; {
+  meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Collection of perceptually uniform colormaps";
     homepage = https://colorcet.pyviz.org;
     license = licenses.cc-by-40;
diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-mpl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-mpl/default.nix
index 0baaa9c5dfca..37ba58977e15 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-mpl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-mpl/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ lib
+{ stdenv
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
 , pytest
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "7006e63bf1ca9c50bea3d189c0f862751a16ce40bb373197b218f57af5b837c0";
   };
 
+  buildInputs = [ pytest ];
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     matplotlib
     nose
@@ -24,6 +26,9 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     pytest
   ];
 
+  # disable tests on darwin, because it requires a framework build of Python
+  doCheck = !stdenv.isDarwin;
+
   checkPhase = ''
     export HOME=$(mktemp -d)
     mkdir -p $HOME/.config/matplotlib
@@ -32,7 +37,7 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     pytest
   '';
 
-  meta = with lib; {
+  meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Pytest plugin to help with testing figures output from Matplotlib";
     homepage = https://github.com/matplotlib/pytest-mpl;
     license = licenses.bsd3;