diff --git a/srcpkgs/meld/patches/python3.8.patch b/srcpkgs/meld/patches/python3.8.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..77e48d945ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/srcpkgs/meld/patches/python3.8.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+--- meld/build_helpers.py.orig
++++ meld/build_helpers.py
+@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@
+     def finalize_options(self):
+         special_cases = ('debian', 'ubuntu', 'linuxmint')
+         if (platform.system() == 'Linux' and
+-                platform.linux_distribution()[0].lower() in special_cases):
++                False):
+             # Maintain an explicit install-layout, but use deb by default
+             specified_layout = getattr(self, 'install_layout', None)
+             self.install_layout = specified_layout or 'deb'