diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/datrie/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/datrie/default.nix
index f9ac491dc81d..eb654c650778 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/datrie/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/datrie/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 { stdenv, buildPythonPackage, fetchPypi
-, pytest, pytestrunner, hypothesis}:
+, cython, pytest, pytestrunner, hypothesis }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "datrie";
@@ -10,8 +10,15 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "08r0if7dry2q7p34gf7ffyrlnf4bdvnprxgydlfxgfnvq8f3f4bs";
   };
 
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cython ];
   buildInputs = [ pytest pytestrunner hypothesis ];
 
+  # recompile pxd and pyx for python37
+  # https://github.com/pytries/datrie/issues/52
+  preBuild = ''
+    ./update_c.sh
+  '';
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Super-fast, efficiently stored Trie for Python";
     homepage = "https://github.com/kmike/datrie";