diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipy/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipy/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8ff7bbe24167
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/nipy/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+{ stdenv
+, buildPythonPackage
+, fetchPypi
+, pythonOlder
+, nose
+, matplotlib
+, nibabel
+, numpy
+, scipy
+, sympy
+, python
+}:
+
+buildPythonPackage rec {
+  version = "0.4.0";
+  pname = "nipy";
+  disabled = pythonOlder "2.6";
+
+  src = fetchPypi {
+    inherit pname version;
+    sha256 = "1hnbn2i4fjxflaaz082s2c57hfp59jfra1zayz1iras5p2dy21nr";
+  };
+
+  buildInputs = stdenv.lib.optional doCheck [ nose ];
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ matplotlib nibabel numpy scipy sympy ];
+
+  checkPhase = ''    # wants to be run in a different directory
+    mkdir nosetests
+    cd nosetests
+    ${python.interpreter} -c "import nipy; nipy.test()"
+    rm -rf .
+  '';
+
+  # failing test:
+  # nipy.algorithms.statistics.models.tests.test_olsR.test_results(11.593139639404727, 11.593140144880794, 6)  # disagrees by 1 at 6th decimal place
+  # erroring tests:
+  # nipy.modalities.fmri.fmristat.tests.test_FIAC.test_altprotocol
+  # nipy.modalities.fmri.fmristat.tests.test_FIAC.test_agreement
+  # nipy.tests.test_scripts.test_nipy_4d_realign   # because `nipy_4d_realign` script isn't found at test time; works from nix-shell, so could be patched
+  # nipy.tests.test_scripts.test_nipy_3_4d         # ditto re.: `nipy_3_4d` script
+  doCheck = false;
+
+  meta = with stdenv.lib; {
+    homepage = http://nipy.org/nipy/;
+    description = "Software for structural and functional neuroimaging analysis";
+    license = licenses.bsd3;
+  };
+
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
index bda244f33403..1c5156eab689 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/python-packages.nix
@@ -2967,48 +2967,7 @@ in {
 
   nimfa = callPackage ../development/python-modules/nimfa {};
 
-  nipy = buildPythonPackage rec {
-    version = "0.4.0";
-    name = "nipy-${version}";
-
-    disabled = pythonOlder "2.6";
-
-    checkPhase = ''    # wants to be run in a different directory
-      mkdir nosetests
-      cd nosetests
-      ${python.interpreter} -c "import nipy; nipy.test()"
-      rm -rf .
-    '';
-    # failing test:
-    # nipy.algorithms.statistics.models.tests.test_olsR.test_results(11.593139639404727, 11.593140144880794, 6)  # disagrees by 1 at 6th decimal place
-    # erroring tests:
-    # nipy.modalities.fmri.fmristat.tests.test_FIAC.test_altprotocol
-    # nipy.modalities.fmri.fmristat.tests.test_FIAC.test_agreement
-    # nipy.tests.test_scripts.test_nipy_4d_realign   # because `nipy_4d_realign` script isn't found at test time; works from nix-shell, so could be patched
-    # nipy.tests.test_scripts.test_nipy_3_4d         # ditto re.: `nipy_3_4d` script
-    doCheck = false;
-
-    src = pkgs.fetchurl {
-      url = "mirror://pypi/n/nipy/${name}.tar.gz";
-      sha256 = "1hnbn2i4fjxflaaz082s2c57hfp59jfra1zayz1iras5p2dy21nr";
-    };
-
-    buildInputs = stdenv.lib.optional doCheck [ self.nose ];
-
-    propagatedBuildInputs = with self; [
-      matplotlib
-      nibabel
-      numpy
-      scipy
-      sympy
-    ];
-
-    meta = {
-      homepage = http://nipy.org/nipy/;
-      description = "Software for structural and functional neuroimaging analysis";
-      license = licenses.bsd3;
-    };
-  };
+  nipy = callPackage ../development/python-modules/nipy { };
 
   nipype = callPackage ../development/python-modules/nipype {
     inherit (pkgs) which;