diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pygame/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pygame/default.nix
index 6bc41339d9275..d42f7ad26cb75 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pygame/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pygame/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { stdenv
 , lib
 , substituteAll
+, fetchpatch
 , fetchFromGitHub
 , buildPythonPackage
 , pythonOlder
@@ -61,6 +62,13 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     })
     # Skip tests that should be disabled without video driver
     ./skip-surface-tests.patch
+
+    # removes distutils unbreaking py312, part of https://github.com/pygame/pygame/pull/4211
+    (fetchpatch {
+      name = "remove-distutils.patch";
+      url = "https://github.com/pygame/pygame/commit/6038e7d6583a7a25fcc6e15387cf6240e427e5a7.patch";
+      hash = "sha256-HxcYjjhsu/Y9HiK9xDvY4X5dgWPP4XFLxdYGXC6tdWM=";
+    })
   ];
 
   postPatch = ''