diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/mk-python-derivation.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/mk-python-derivation.nix
index 4c45d9603be82..d656760a71a1c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/mk-python-derivation.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/mk-python-derivation.nix
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ in
 
 , meta ? {}
 
-, doCheck ? config.doCheckByDefault or false
+, doCheck ? true
 
 , disabledTestPaths ? []
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python2/mk-python-derivation.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python2/mk-python-derivation.nix
index 1a6f9c784cf67..d0d8a9d0dca8f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python2/mk-python-derivation.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/python2/mk-python-derivation.nix
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 
 , passthru ? {}
 
-, doCheck ? config.doCheckByDefault or false
+, doCheck ? true
 
 , disabledTestPaths ? []