diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/circus/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/circus/default.nix
index e5420f26c1a..90cf6a4be7f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/circus/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/circus/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { lib
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
+, flit-core
 , psutil
 , pytestCheckHook
 , pyyaml
@@ -11,13 +12,17 @@
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "circus";
   version = "0.18.0";
-  format = "flit";
+  format = "pyproject";
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;
     hash = "sha256-GTzoIk4GjO1mckz0gxBvtmdLUaV1g6waDn7Xp+6Mcas=";
   };
 
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    flit-core
+  ];
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     psutil
     pyzmq