diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
index 2e4e2f1f6db5..347245f8a01b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/default.nix
@@ -125,9 +125,15 @@ let
         if parsed.cpu.significantByte.name == "littleEndian" then "arm" else "armeb"
       else if isx86_32 then "i386"
       else parsed.cpu.name;
+    pythonAbiName =
+      # python's build doesn't differentiate between musl and glibc in its
+      # abi detection, our wrapper should match.
+      if stdenv.hostPlatform.isMusl then
+        replaceStrings [ "musl" ] [ "gnu" ] parsed.abi.name
+        else parsed.abi.name;
     multiarch =
       if isDarwin then "darwin"
-      else "${multiarchCpu}-${parsed.kernel.name}-${parsed.abi.name}";
+      else "${multiarchCpu}-${parsed.kernel.name}-${pythonAbiName}";
 
     abiFlags = optionalString (isPy36 || isPy37) "m";