diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb b/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
index 8292e4c967..3026ca3d95 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/language/python.rb
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ module Language
         def create
           return if (@venv_root/"bin/python").exist?
 
-          @formula.system @python, "-m", "venv", @venv_root
+          @formula.system @python, "-m", "venv", "--system-site-packages", @venv_root
 
           # Robustify symlinks to survive python patch upgrades
           @venv_root.find do |f|
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/python/virtualenv_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/python/virtualenv_spec.rb
index 07ab7bcf35..04a465efa6 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/python/virtualenv_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/python/virtualenv_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe Language::Python::Virtualenv::Virtualenv, :needs_python do
 
   describe "#create" do
     it "creates a venv" do
-      expect(formula).to receive(:system).with("python", "-m", "venv", dir)
+      expect(formula).to receive(:system).with("python", "-m", "venv", "--system-site-packages", dir)
       virtualenv.create
     end
   end