diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-xdist/setup-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-xdist/setup-hook.sh
index 5523a7f360f5f..61d0f64d1a4da 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-xdist/setup-hook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/pytest-xdist/setup-hook.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@ pytestXdistHook() {
         "--numprocesses=$NIX_BUILD_CORES"
         "--forked"
     )
+
+    # Using --forked on darwin leads to crashes when fork safety is
+    # enabled. This often happens when urllib tries to request proxy
+    # settings on MacOS through `urllib.request.getproxies()`
+    # - https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/77906
+    if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
+        export OBJC_DISABLE_INITIALIZE_FORK_SAFETY=YES
+    fi
 }
 
 # the flags should be added before pytestCheckHook runs so