diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/metakernel/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/metakernel/default.nix
index 5cc40f4a6ca6..bb3d4b917f1f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/metakernel/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/metakernel/default.nix
@@ -1,18 +1,24 @@
 { lib
 , buildPythonPackage
 , fetchPypi
+, hatchling
 , ipykernel
 }:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   pname = "metakernel";
   version = "0.29.2";
+  format = "pyproject";
 
   src = fetchPypi {
     inherit pname version;
     sha256 = "sha256-A++uLR4hhOQYmA6o9wBTejFju3CpbK0hwIs7XFscddQ=";
   };
 
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    hatchling
+  ];
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ ipykernel ];
 
   # Tests hang, so disable