diff --git a/gnu/packages/python.scm b/gnu/packages/python.scm
index 9f07ead921..48d75f0943 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/python.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/python.scm
@@ -6136,7 +6136,15 @@ (define-public python-tables
        (uri (pypi-uri "tables" version))
        (sha256
         (base32
-         "117s6w7s3yxafpmf3zz3svana7xfrsviw01va1xp7h8ylx8v6r1m"))))
+         "117s6w7s3yxafpmf3zz3svana7xfrsviw01va1xp7h8ylx8v6r1m"))
+       (modules '((guix build utils)))
+       (snippet
+        '(begin
+           ;; Remove pre-compiled .pyc files from source.
+           (for-each delete-file-recursively
+                     (find-files "." "__pycache__" #:directories? #t))
+           (for-each delete-file (find-files "." "\\.pyc$"))
+           #t))))
     (build-system python-build-system)
     (arguments
      `(;; FIXME: python-build-system does not pass configure-flags to "build"