diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 476f9e89b70..f871e364c05 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ in {
     withPython = true;
   });
 
-  av = callPackage ../development/python-modules/av { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  av = callPackage ../development/python-modules/av { };
 
   avea = callPackage ../development/python-modules/avea { };
 
@@ -1622,7 +1622,9 @@ in {
 
   dask-gateway = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dask-gateway { };
 
-  dask-gateway-server = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dask-gateway-server { inherit (pkgs) go; };
+  dask-gateway-server = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dask-gateway-server {
+    inherit (pkgs) go;
+  };
 
   dask-glm = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dask-glm { };
 
@@ -1640,7 +1642,9 @@ in {
 
   databricks-cli = callPackage ../development/python-modules/databricks-cli { };
 
-  databricks-connect = callPackage ../development/python-modules/databricks-connect { inherit (pkgs) jdk; };
+  databricks-connect = callPackage ../development/python-modules/databricks-connect {
+    inherit (pkgs) jdk;
+  };
 
   dataclasses = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dataclasses { };
 
@@ -1674,7 +1678,9 @@ in {
 
   dbus-next = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dbus-next { };
 
-  dbus-python = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dbus { inherit (pkgs) dbus pkg-config; };
+  dbus-python = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dbus {
+    inherit (pkgs) dbus;
+  };
 
   dbutils = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dbutils { };
 
@@ -1838,8 +1844,8 @@ in {
 
   django_hijack_admin = callPackage ../development/python-modules/django-hijack-admin { };
 
-  django_hijack = callPackage ../development/python-modules/django-hijack
-    { }; # This package may need an older version of Django. Override the package set and set e.g. `django = super.django_1_9`. See the Nixpkgs manual for examples on how to override the package set.
+  django_hijack = callPackage ../development/python-modules/django-hijack { };
+  # This package may need an older version of Django. Override the package set and set e.g. `django = super.django_1_9`. See the Nixpkgs manual for examples on how to override the package set.
 
   django-ipware = callPackage ../development/python-modules/django-ipware { };
 
@@ -1927,7 +1933,9 @@ in {
 
   dkimpy = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dkimpy { };
 
-  dlib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dlib { inherit (pkgs) dlib; };
+  dlib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dlib {
+    inherit (pkgs) dlib;
+  };
 
   dlx = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dlx { };
 
@@ -1990,7 +1998,9 @@ in {
 
   dotty-dict = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dotty-dict { };
 
-  dot2tex = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dot2tex { inherit (pkgs) graphviz; };
+  dot2tex = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dot2tex {
+    inherit (pkgs) graphviz;
+  };
 
   dparse = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dparse { };
 
@@ -2008,11 +2018,15 @@ in {
 
   ds-store = callPackage ../development/python-modules/ds-store { };
 
-  ds4drv = callPackage ../development/python-modules/ds4drv { inherit (pkgs) fetchFromGitHub bluez; };
+  ds4drv = callPackage ../development/python-modules/ds4drv {
+    inherit (pkgs) bluez;
+  };
 
   dtopt = callPackage ../development/python-modules/dtopt { };
 
-  duckdb = callPackage ../development/python-modules/duckdb { duckdb = pkgs.duckdb; };
+  duckdb = callPackage ../development/python-modules/duckdb {
+    inherit (pkgs) duckdb;
+  };
 
   duecredit = callPackage ../development/python-modules/duecredit { };
 
@@ -2095,9 +2109,13 @@ in {
 
   enamlx = callPackage ../development/python-modules/enamlx { };
 
-  entrance = callPackage ../development/python-modules/entrance { routerFeatures = false; };
+  entrance = callPackage ../development/python-modules/entrance {
+    routerFeatures = false;
+  };
 
-  entrance-with-router-features = callPackage ../development/python-modules/entrance { routerFeatures = true; };
+  entrance-with-router-features = callPackage ../development/python-modules/entrance {
+    routerFeatures = true;
+  };
 
   entrypoint2 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/entrypoint2 { };
 
@@ -2248,7 +2266,9 @@ in {
 
   feedgen = callPackage ../development/python-modules/feedgen { };
 
-  feedgenerator = callPackage ../development/python-modules/feedgenerator { inherit (pkgs) glibcLocales; };
+  feedgenerator = callPackage ../development/python-modules/feedgenerator {
+    inherit (pkgs) glibcLocales;
+  };
 
   feedparser = if isPy3k then
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/feedparser { }
@@ -2256,7 +2276,6 @@ in {
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/feedparser/5.nix { };
 
   fenics = callPackage ../development/libraries/science/math/fenics {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     pytest = self.pytest_4;
   };
 
@@ -2280,7 +2299,9 @@ in {
 
   fints = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fints { };
 
-  fiona = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fiona { gdal_2 = pkgs.gdal_2; };
+  fiona = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fiona {
+    gdal_2 = pkgs.gdal_2;
+  };
 
   fipy = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fipy { };
 
@@ -2501,7 +2522,9 @@ in {
 
   furl = callPackage ../development/python-modules/furl { };
 
-  fuse = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fuse-python { inherit (pkgs) fuse pkg-config; };
+  fuse = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fuse-python {
+    inherit (pkgs) fuse;
+  };
 
   fusepy = callPackage ../development/python-modules/fusepy { };
 
@@ -2796,7 +2819,7 @@ in {
     inherit python;
   });
 
-  gphoto2 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/gphoto2 { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  gphoto2 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/gphoto2 { };
 
   gprof2dot = callPackage ../development/python-modules/gprof2dot { inherit (pkgs) graphviz; };
 
@@ -2836,7 +2859,7 @@ in {
 
   graphql-server-core = callPackage ../development/python-modules/graphql-server-core { };
 
-  graph-tool = callPackage ../development/python-modules/graph-tool/2.x.x.nix { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  graph-tool = callPackage ../development/python-modules/graph-tool/2.x.x.nix { };
 
   graphtage = callPackage ../development/python-modules/graphtage { };
 
@@ -2881,7 +2904,7 @@ in {
   gssapi = callPackage ../development/python-modules/gssapi { inherit (pkgs) darwin krb5Full; };
 
   gst-python = callPackage ../development/python-modules/gst-python {
-    inherit (pkgs) meson pkg-config;
+    inherit (pkgs) meson;
     gst-plugins-base = pkgs.gst_all_1.gst-plugins-base;
   };
 
@@ -3037,7 +3060,7 @@ in {
 
   html5lib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/html5lib { };
 
-  html5-parser = callPackage ../development/python-modules/html5-parser { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  html5-parser = callPackage ../development/python-modules/html5-parser { };
 
   htmllaundry = callPackage ../development/python-modules/htmllaundry { };
 
@@ -3200,8 +3223,9 @@ in {
 
   importmagic = callPackage ../development/python-modules/importmagic { };
 
-  imread =
-    callPackage ../development/python-modules/imread { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config libjpeg libpng libtiff libwebp; };
+  imread = callPackage ../development/python-modules/imread {
+    inherit (pkgs) libjpeg libpng libtiff libwebp;
+  };
 
   imutils = callPackage ../development/python-modules/imutils { };
 
@@ -3584,7 +3608,6 @@ in {
 
   kmsxx = toPythonModule ((callPackage ../development/libraries/kmsxx {
     inherit (pkgs.kmsxx) stdenv;
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     withPython = true;
   }).overrideAttrs (oldAttrs: { name = "${python.libPrefix}-${pkgs.kmsxx.name}"; }));
 
@@ -3674,7 +3697,7 @@ in {
 
   libarcus = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libarcus { inherit (pkgs) protobuf; };
 
-  libasyncns = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libasyncns { inherit (pkgs) libasyncns pkg-config; };
+  libasyncns = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libasyncns { inherit (pkgs) libasyncns; };
 
   libcloud = if isPy27 then
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/libcloud/2.nix { }
@@ -3784,15 +3807,20 @@ in {
   else
     (toPythonModule (pkgs.libtorrent-rasterbar.override { inherit python; })).python;
 
-  libusb1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libusb1 { inherit (pkgs) libusb1; };
+  libusb1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libusb1 {
+    inherit (pkgs) libusb1;
+  };
 
-  libversion = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libversion { inherit (pkgs) libversion pkg-config; };
+  libversion = callPackage ../development/python-modules/libversion {
+    inherit (pkgs) libversion;
+  };
 
   libvirt = if isPy3k then
-    (callPackage ../development/python-modules/libvirt { inherit (pkgs) libvirt pkg-config; })
+    (callPackage ../development/python-modules/libvirt {
+    inherit (pkgs) libvirt;
+  })
   else
     (callPackage ../development/python-modules/libvirt/5.9.0.nix {
-      inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
       libvirt = pkgs.libvirt_5_9_0;
     });
 
@@ -3848,8 +3876,8 @@ in {
   livestreamer-curses = callPackage ../development/python-modules/livestreamer-curses { };
 
   llfuse = callPackage ../development/python-modules/llfuse {
-    inherit (pkgs) fuse pkg-config;
-  }; # use "real" fuse and pkg-config, not the python modules
+    inherit (pkgs) fuse;
+  };
 
   llvmlite = callPackage ../development/python-modules/llvmlite {
     llvm = pkgs.llvm_9;
@@ -4028,7 +4056,6 @@ in {
   in callPackage path {
     stdenv = if stdenv.isDarwin then pkgs.clangStdenv else pkgs.stdenv;
     inherit (pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks) Cocoa;
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
   };
 
   matrix-client = callPackage ../development/python-modules/matrix-client { };
@@ -4980,7 +5007,7 @@ in {
 
   pkce = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pkce { };
 
-  pkgconfig = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pkgconfig { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pkgconfig = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pkgconfig { };
 
   pkginfo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pkginfo { };
 
@@ -5056,7 +5083,7 @@ in {
 
   poetry-core = callPackage ../development/python-modules/poetry-core { };
 
-  poezio = callPackage ../applications/networking/instant-messengers/poezio { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  poezio = callPackage ../applications/networking/instant-messengers/poezio { };
 
   polib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/polib { };
 
@@ -5075,7 +5102,6 @@ in {
   poppler-qt5 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/poppler-qt5 {
     inherit (pkgs.qt5) qtbase;
     inherit (pkgs.libsForQt5) poppler;
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
   };
 
   portalocker = callPackage ../development/python-modules/portalocker { };
@@ -5299,7 +5325,9 @@ in {
 
   pyarlo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyarlo { };
 
-  pyarrow = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyarrow { inherit (pkgs) arrow-cpp cmake pkg-config; };
+  pyarrow = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyarrow {
+    inherit (pkgs) arrow-cpp cmake;
+  };
 
   pyasn1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyasn1 { };
 
@@ -5307,7 +5335,7 @@ in {
 
   pyatmo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyatmo { };
 
-  pyatspi = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyatspi { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pyatspi = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyatspi { };
 
   pyatv = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyatv { };
 
@@ -5347,13 +5375,15 @@ in {
 
   pybullet = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pybullet { };
 
-  pycairo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycairo { inherit (pkgs) meson pkg-config; };
+  pycairo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycairo {
+    inherit (pkgs) meson;
+  };
 
   pycallgraph = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycallgraph { };
 
   py = callPackage ../development/python-modules/py { };
 
-  pycangjie = disabledIf (!isPy3k) (callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycangjie { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; });
+  pycangjie = disabledIf (!isPy3k) (callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycangjie { });
 
   pycapnp = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pycapnp { };
 
@@ -5579,19 +5609,19 @@ in {
 
   pygmt = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygmt { };
 
-  pygobject2 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pygobject2 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject { };
 
   pygobject3 = if isPy3k then
-    callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject/3.nix { inherit (pkgs) meson pkg-config; }
+    callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject/3.nix { inherit (pkgs) meson; }
   else
-    callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject/3.36.nix { inherit (pkgs) meson pkg-config; };
+    callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygobject/3.36.nix { inherit (pkgs) meson; };
 
   pygogo = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygogo { };
 
   pygpgme = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygpgme { };
 
   pygraphviz = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygraphviz {
-    inherit (pkgs) graphviz pkg-config;
+    inherit (pkgs) graphviz;
   }; # not the python package
 
   pygreat = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygreat { };
@@ -5600,14 +5630,13 @@ in {
 
   pygtail = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtail { };
 
-  pygtk = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtk {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
-    libglade = null;
+  pygtk = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtk { };
+
+  pyGtkGlade = self.pygtk.override {
+    inherit (pkgs.gnome2) libglade;
   };
 
-  pyGtkGlade = self.pygtk.override { libglade = pkgs.gnome2.libglade; };
-
-  pygtksourceview = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtksourceview { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pygtksourceview = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtksourceview { };
 
   pygtrie = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pygtrie { };
 
@@ -5932,7 +5961,7 @@ in {
 
   pyqt-builder = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyqt-builder { };
 
-  pyqt4 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyqt/4.x.nix { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pyqt4 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyqt/4.x.nix { };
 
   pyqt5 = pkgs.libsForQt5.callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyqt/5.x.nix { pythonPackages = self; };
 
@@ -6081,7 +6110,7 @@ in {
 
   pysmb = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pysmb { };
 
-  pysmbc = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pysmbc { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pysmbc = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pysmbc { };
 
   pysmf = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pysmf { };
 
@@ -6413,7 +6442,7 @@ in {
 
   python-editor = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-editor { };
 
-  pythonefl = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-efl { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  pythonefl = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-efl { };
 
   python-engineio = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-engineio { };
 
@@ -6442,14 +6471,12 @@ in {
   python-http-client = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-http-client { };
 
   python-igraph = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-igraph {
-    pkg-config = pkgs.pkg-config;
-    igraph = pkgs.igraph;
+    inherit (pkgs) igraph;
   };
 
   pythonIRClib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pythonirclib { };
 
   pythonix = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pythonix {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     meson = pkgs.meson.override { python3 = self.python; };
   };
 
@@ -6502,9 +6529,9 @@ in {
   python-nest = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-nest { };
 
   pythonnet = callPackage
-    ../development/python-modules/pythonnet { # `mono >= 4.6` required to prevent crashes encountered with earlier versions.
+    ../development/python-modules/pythonnet {
+      # `mono >= 4.6` required to prevent crashes encountered with earlier versions.
       mono = pkgs.mono4;
-      inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     };
 
   python-nmap = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-nmap { };
@@ -6522,7 +6549,7 @@ in {
 
   python-opendata-transport = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-opendata-transport { };
 
-  python_openzwave = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python_openzwave { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  python_openzwave = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python_openzwave { };
 
   python-otr = callPackage ../development/python-modules/python-otr { };
 
@@ -6693,7 +6720,7 @@ in {
   pyvizio = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyvizio { };
 
   pyvips = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyvips {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config vips glib;
+    inherit (pkgs) vips glib;
   };
 
   pyvlx = callPackage ../development/python-modules/pyvlx { };
@@ -7004,7 +7031,6 @@ in {
   robomachine = callPackage ../development/python-modules/robomachine { };
 
   roboschool = callPackage ../development/python-modules/roboschool {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; # use normal pkg-config, not the python package
     inherit (pkgs.qt5) qtbase;
   };
 
@@ -7240,7 +7266,7 @@ in {
 
   seccomp = callPackage ../development/python-modules/seccomp { };
 
-  secp256k1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/secp256k1 { inherit (pkgs) secp256k1 pkg-config; };
+  secp256k1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/secp256k1 { inherit (pkgs) secp256k1; };
 
   secretstorage = if isPy3k then
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/secretstorage { }
@@ -7269,7 +7295,7 @@ in {
 
   sendgrid = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sendgrid { };
 
-  sentencepiece = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sentencepiece { inherit (pkgs) sentencepiece pkg-config; };
+  sentencepiece = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sentencepiece { inherit (pkgs) sentencepiece; };
 
   sentinel = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sentinel { };
 
@@ -7733,7 +7759,7 @@ in {
 
   subprocess32 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/subprocess32 { };
 
-  subunit = callPackage ../development/python-modules/subunit { inherit (pkgs) subunit pkg-config cppunit check; };
+  subunit = callPackage ../development/python-modules/subunit { inherit (pkgs) subunit cppunit check; };
 
   suds = callPackage ../development/python-modules/suds { };
 
@@ -7775,14 +7801,16 @@ in {
 
   sybil = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sybil { };
 
-  symengine = callPackage ../development/python-modules/symengine { symengine = pkgs.symengine; };
+  symengine = callPackage ../development/python-modules/symengine {
+    inherit (pkgs) symengine;
+  };
 
   sympy = if isPy3k then
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/sympy { }
   else
     callPackage ../development/python-modules/sympy/1_5.nix { };
 
-  systemd = callPackage ../development/python-modules/systemd { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config systemd; };
+  systemd = callPackage ../development/python-modules/systemd { inherit (pkgs) systemd; };
 
   sysv_ipc = callPackage ../development/python-modules/sysv_ipc { };
 
@@ -8354,7 +8382,7 @@ in {
 
   vine = callPackage ../development/python-modules/vine { };
 
-  virtkey = callPackage ../development/python-modules/virtkey { inherit (pkgs) pkg-config; };
+  virtkey = callPackage ../development/python-modules/virtkey { };
 
   virtual-display = callPackage ../development/python-modules/virtual-display { };
 
@@ -8551,11 +8579,9 @@ in {
 
   wxPython30 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/wxPython/3.0.nix {
     wxGTK = pkgs.wxGTK30;
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
   };
 
   wxPython_4_0 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/wxPython/4.0.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     inherit (pkgs.darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks) AudioToolbox Carbon Cocoa CoreFoundation IOKit OpenGL;
     wxGTK = pkgs.wxGTK30.override {
       withGtk2 = false;
@@ -8564,7 +8590,6 @@ in {
   };
 
   wxPython_4_1 = callPackage ../development/python-modules/wxPython/4.1.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) pkg-config;
     wxGTK = pkgs.wxGTK31.override {
       withGtk2 = false;
       withWebKit = true;
@@ -8826,7 +8851,7 @@ in {
 
   zstandard = callPackage ../development/python-modules/zstandard { };
 
-  zstd = callPackage ../development/python-modules/zstd { inherit (pkgs) zstd pkg-config; };
+  zstd = callPackage ../development/python-modules/zstd { inherit (pkgs) zstd; };
 
   zulip = callPackage ../development/python-modules/zulip { };