diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python-packages-base.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python-packages-base.nix
index 66a7c823fecca..ca4e4fd897415 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python-packages-base.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python-packages-base.nix
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ let
         }
       else
         result
-    );
+    )
+    // lib.optionalAttrs (f ? override) {
+      # Support overriding `f` itself, e.g. `buildPythonPackage.override { }`.
+      # Ensure `makeOverridablePythonPackage` is applied to the result.
+      override = lib.mirrorFunctionArgs f.override (fdrv: makeOverridablePythonPackage (f.override fdrv));
+    };
 
   mkPythonDerivation =
     if python.isPy3k then ./mk-python-derivation.nix else ./python2/mk-python-derivation.nix;