diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/cartopy/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/cartopy/default.nix
index 7e3e32067577..87eafc265501 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/cartopy/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/cartopy/default.nix
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-{ buildPythonPackage, lib, fetchPypi
-, pytest_4, filelock, mock, pep8
-, cython, isPy27
+{ buildPythonPackage, lib, fetchPypi, fetchpatch
+, pytestCheckHook, filelock, mock, pep8
+, cython
 , six, pyshp, shapely, geos, numpy
 , gdal, pillow, matplotlib, pyepsg, pykdtree, scipy, owslib, fiona
-, xvfb_run
-, proj_5 # see https://github.com/SciTools/cartopy/pull/1252 for status on proj 6 support
+, proj
 }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
@@ -17,28 +16,16 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "0d24fk0cbp29gmkysrwq05vry13swmwi3vx3cpcy04c0ixz33ykz";
   };
 
-  checkInputs = [ filelock mock pytest_4 pep8 ];
-
-  # several tests require network connectivity: we disable them.
-  # also py2.7's tk is over-eager in trying to open an x display,
-  # so give it xvfb
-  checkPhase = let
-    maybeXvfbRun = lib.optionalString isPy27 "${xvfb_run}/bin/xvfb-run";
-  in ''
-    export HOME=$(mktemp -d)
-    ${maybeXvfbRun} pytest --pyargs cartopy \
-      -m "not network and not natural_earth" \
-      -k "not test_nightshade_image and not background_img"
-  '';
-
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    cython
-    geos # for geos-config
-    proj_5
+  patches = [
+    # Fix numpy-1.20 compatibility.  Will be part of 0.19.
+    (fetchpatch {
+      url = "https://github.com/SciTools/cartopy/commit/e663bbbef07989a5f8484a8f36ea9c07e61d14ce.patch";
+      sha256 = "061kbjgzkc3apaz6sxy00pkgy3n9dxcgps5wzj4rglb5iy86n2kq";
+    })
   ];
 
   buildInputs = [
-    geos proj_5
+    geos proj
   ];
 
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
@@ -49,12 +36,28 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     gdal pillow matplotlib pyepsg pykdtree scipy fiona owslib
   ];
 
+  checkInputs = [ pytestCheckHook filelock mock pep8 ];
+
+  pytestFlagsArray = [
+    "--pyargs" "cartopy"
+    "-m" "'not network and not natural_earth'"
+  ];
+
+  disabledTests = [
+    "test_nightshade_image"
+    "background_img"
+  ];
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    cython
+    geos # for geos-config
+    proj
+  ];
+
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Process geospatial data to create maps and perform analyses";
     license = licenses.lgpl3;
     homepage = "https://scitools.org.uk/cartopy/docs/latest/";
     maintainers = with maintainers; [ mredaelli ];
-    # following tests fail: test_eccentric_globe and test_ellipse_globe
-    broken = true;
   };
 }