diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
index 26bd8a8f3609..d7bc50948590 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
 , ucsEncoding ? 4
 # For the Python package set
 , packageOverrides ? (self: super: {})
-, buildPackages
 , pkgsBuildBuild
+, pkgsBuildHost
 , pkgsBuildTarget
 , pkgsHostHost
 , pkgsTargetTarget
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 , passthruFun
 , static ? false
 , enableOptimizations ? (!stdenv.isDarwin)
+, pythonAttr ? "python${sourceVersion.major}${sourceVersion.minor}"
 }:
 
 assert x11Support -> tcl != null
@@ -38,9 +39,8 @@ assert x11Support -> tcl != null
 with stdenv.lib;
 
 let
-
-  pythonAttr = "python${sourceVersion.major}${sourceVersion.minor}";
-  pythonForBuild = buildPackages.${pythonAttr};
+  buildPackages = pkgsBuildHost;
+  inherit (passthru) pythonForBuild;
 
   passthru = passthruFun rec {
     inherit self sourceVersion packageOverrides;
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ let
     executable = libPrefix;
     pythonVersion = with sourceVersion; "${major}.${minor}";
     sitePackages = "lib/${libPrefix}/site-packages";
-    inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch pythonForBuild;
+    inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch;
     pythonPackagesBuildBuild = pkgsBuildBuild.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesBuildHost = pkgsBuildHost.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesBuildTarget = pkgsBuildTarget.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesHostHost = pkgsHostHost.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesTargetTarget = pkgsTargetTarget.${pythonAttr} or {};
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
index 02777063a772..5e7668deea39 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
@@ -19,12 +19,11 @@
 , nukeReferences
 # For the Python package set
 , packageOverrides ? (self: super: {})
-, buildPackages
 , pkgsBuildBuild
+, pkgsBuildHost
 , pkgsBuildTarget
 , pkgsHostHost
 , pkgsTargetTarget
-, pythonForBuild ? buildPackages.${pythonAttr}
 , sourceVersion
 , sha256
 , passthruFun
@@ -58,7 +57,8 @@ assert bluezSupport -> bluez != null;
 with stdenv.lib;
 
 let
-
+  buildPackages = pkgsBuildHost;
+  inherit (passthru) pythonForBuild;
 
   passthru = passthruFun rec {
     inherit self sourceVersion packageOverrides;
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@ let
     executable = libPrefix;
     pythonVersion = with sourceVersion; "${major}.${minor}";
     sitePackages = "lib/${libPrefix}/site-packages";
-    inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch pythonForBuild;
+    inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch;
     pythonPackagesBuildBuild = pkgsBuildBuild.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesBuildHost = pkgsBuildHost.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesBuildTarget = pkgsBuildTarget.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesHostHost = pkgsHostHost.${pythonAttr};
     pythonPackagesTargetTarget = pkgsTargetTarget.${pythonAttr} or {};
@@ -95,8 +96,6 @@ let
 
   hasDistutilsCxxPatch = !(stdenv.cc.isGNU or false);
 
-  inherit pythonForBuild;
-
   pythonForBuildInterpreter = if stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform then
     "$out/bin/python"
   else pythonForBuild.interpreter;
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/default.nix
index 19a7f44de369..876cfd20fb9e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/default.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ with pkgs;
     , sitePackages
     , hasDistutilsCxxPatch
     , pythonPackagesBuildBuild
-    , pythonForBuild # provides pythonPackagesBuildHost
+    , pythonPackagesBuildHost
     , pythonPackagesBuildTarget
     , pythonPackagesHostHost
     , self # is pythonPackagesHostTarget
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ with pkgs;
           };
           otherSplices = {
             selfBuildBuild = pythonPackagesBuildBuild;
-            selfBuildHost = pythonForBuild.pkgs;
+            selfBuildHost = pythonPackagesBuildHost;
             selfBuildTarget = pythonPackagesBuildTarget;
             selfHostHost = pythonPackagesHostHost;
             selfTargetTarget = pythonPackagesTargetTarget;
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ with pkgs;
         inherit sourceVersion;
         pythonAtLeast = lib.versionAtLeast pythonVersion;
         pythonOlder = lib.versionOlder pythonVersion;
-        inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch pythonForBuild;
+        inherit hasDistutilsCxxPatch;
+        pythonForBuild = pythonPackagesBuildHost;
 
         tests = callPackage ./tests.nix {
           python = self;
@@ -188,7 +189,6 @@ in {
   # Minimal versions of Python (built without optional dependencies)
   python3Minimal = (python38.override {
     self = python3Minimal;
-    pythonForBuild = pkgs.buildPackages.python3Minimal;
     # strip down that python version as much as possible
     openssl = null;
     readline = null;
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/pypy/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/pypy/default.nix
index 0647ce878642..b941750eb4e5 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/pypy/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/pypy/default.nix
@@ -5,10 +5,16 @@
 , python-setup-hook
 # For the Python package set
 , packageOverrides ? (self: super: {})
+, pkgsBuildBuild
+, pkgsBuildHost
+, pkgsBuildTarget
+, pkgsHostHost
+, pkgsTargetTarget
 , sourceVersion
 , pythonVersion
 , sha256
 , passthruFun
+, pythonAttr ? "pypy${stdenv.lib.substring 0 1 pythonVersion}${stdenv.lib.substring 2 3 pythonVersion}"
 }:
 
 assert zlibSupport -> zlib != null;
@@ -25,12 +31,11 @@ let
     sitePackages = "site-packages";
     hasDistutilsCxxPatch = false;
 
-    # No cross-compiling for now.
-    pythonForBuild = self;
-    pythonPackagesBuildBuild = {};
-    pythonPackagesBuildTarget = {};
-    pythonPackagesHostHost = {};
-    pythonPackagesTargetTarget = {};
+    pythonPackagesBuildBuild = pkgsBuildBuild.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesBuildHost = pkgsBuildHost.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesBuildTarget = pkgsBuildTarget.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesHostHost = pkgsHostHost.${pythonAttr};
+    pythonPackagesTargetTarget = pkgsTargetTarget.${pythonAttr} or {};
   };
   pname = passthru.executable;
   version = with sourceVersion; "${major}.${minor}.${patch}";