diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/rope/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/rope/default.nix
index e5164f27f56f..21281d341cce 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/rope/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/rope/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ stdenv, buildPythonPackage, fetchPypi }:
+{ stdenv, buildPythonPackage, fetchPypi, nose }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "rope";
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "a108c445e1cd897fe19272ab7877d172e7faf3d4148c80e7d20faba42ea8f7b2";
   };
 
+  checkInputs = [ nose ];
+  checkPhase = ''
+    # tracked upstream here https://github.com/python-rope/rope/issues/247
+    NOSE_IGNORE_FILES=type_hinting_test.py nosetests ropetest
+  '';
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Python refactoring library";
     homepage = https://github.com/python-rope/rope;