diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/matplotlib/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/matplotlib/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f08301c70817
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/matplotlib/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, python, buildPythonPackage
+, which, dateutil, nose, numpy, pyparsing, tornado
+, freetype, libpng, pkgconfig, mock, pytz
+, enableGhostscript ? false, ghostscript ? null
+, enableCairo ? false, pycairo ? null
+, enableGtk2 ? false, pygtk ? null
+, enableGtk3 ? false, pygobject3 ? null, gtk3 ? null
+, enableQt4 ? false, pyqt4 ? null
+, enableQt5 ? false, pyqt5 ? null
+, enableWxWidgets ? false, wxPython ? null }:
+
+assert enableGhostscript -> ghostscript != null;
+assert enableCairo -> pycairo != null;
+assert enableGtk2 -> pygtk != null;
+assert enableGtk3 -> pygobject3 != null && gtk3 != null;
+assert enableQt4 -> pyqt4 != null;
+assert enableQt5 -> pyqt5 != null;
+assert enableWxWidgets -> wxPython != null;
+
+buildPythonPackage rec {
+  name = "matplotlib-1.4.2";
+
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = "mirror://sourceforge/matplotlib/${name}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "0m6v9nwdldlwk22gcd339zg6mny5m301fxgks7z8sb8m9wawg8qp";
+  };
+
+  buildInputs = [ python which stdenv ]
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableGhostscript ghostscript
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableGtk3 gtk3;
+
+  propagatedBuildInputs =
+    [ dateutil nose numpy pyparsing tornado freetype
+      libpng pkgconfig mock pytz
+    ]
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableCairo pycairo
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableGtk2 pygtk
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableGtk3 pygobject3
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableQt4 pyqt4
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableQt5 pyqt5
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableWxWidgets wxPython;
+
+  meta = with stdenv.lib; {
+    description = "python plotting library, making publication quality plots";
+    homepage    = "http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/";
+    maintainers = with maintainers; [ lovek323 ];
+    platforms   = platforms.unix;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 78288dbb5da7..d53d4ebfada0 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -5500,28 +5500,9 @@ let
   };
 
 
-  matplotlib = buildPythonPackage rec {
-    name = "matplotlib-1.4.2";
-
-    src = pkgs.fetchurl {
-      url = "mirror://sourceforge/matplotlib/${name}.tar.gz";
-      sha256 = "0m6v9nwdldlwk22gcd339zg6mny5m301fxgks7z8sb8m9wawg8qp";
-    };
-
-    buildInputs = with self; [ python pkgs.which pkgs.ghostscript ] ++
-        (if stdenv.isDarwin then [ pkgs.clangStdenv ] else [ pkgs.stdenv ]);
-
-    propagatedBuildInputs = with self;
-      [ dateutil nose numpy pyparsing tornado pkgs.freetype pkgs.libpng pkgs.pkgconfig
-        mock pytz
-      ];
-
-    meta = with stdenv.lib; {
-      description = "python plotting library, making publication quality plots";
-      homepage    = "http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/";
-      maintainers = with maintainers; [ lovek323 ];
-      platforms   = platforms.unix;
-    };
+  matplotlib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/matplotlib/default.nix {
+    stdenv = if stdenv.isDarwin then pkgs.clangStdenv else pkgs.stdenv;
+    enableGhostscript = true;
   };