diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/vtk/generic.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/vtk/generic.nix
index 85d60a9961210..a0f4d42a5a132 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/vtk/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/vtk/generic.nix
@@ -140,7 +140,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     cmake
     pkg-config # required for finding MySQl
   ]
-  ++ lib.optional pythonSupport python3Packages.python
+  ++ lib.optionals pythonSupport [
+    python3Packages.python
+    python3Packages.pythonRecompileBytecodeHook
+  ]
   ++ lib.optional (
     pythonSupport && stdenv.buildPlatform == stdenv.hostPlatform
   ) python3Packages.pythonImportsCheckHook;
@@ -288,11 +291,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     (vtkBool "VTK_GROUP_ENABLE_MPI" mpiSupport)
   ];
 
-  # byte-compile python modules since the CMake build does not do it
-  postInstall = lib.optionalString pythonSupport ''
-    python -m compileall -s $out $out/${python3Packages.python.sitePackages}
-  '';
-
   pythonImportsCheck = [ "vtk" ];
 
   dontWrapQtApps = true;
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index 8dc9e021d2e5e..d3eaa7d9f1dbd 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -19559,7 +19559,12 @@ self: super: with self; {
 
   vtjp = callPackage ../development/python-modules/vtjp { };
 
-  vtk = toPythonModule (pkgs.vtk-full.override { python3Packages = self; });
+  vtk = toPythonModule (
+    pkgs.vtk.override {
+      pythonSupport = true;
+      python3Packages = self;
+    }
+  );
 
   vttlib = callPackage ../development/python-modules/vttlib { };