diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/builder.sh b/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/builder.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index c466f759446c..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/builder.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-source $stdenv/setup
-
-patchPhase() {
-    for i in $patches; do
-        header "applying patch $i" 3
-        patch -p0 < $i
-        stopNest
-    done
-
-    configureImakefiles "s:__PREFIX_PNG:$libpng:"
-    configureImakefiles "s:__PREFIX:$out:"
-}
-
-configureImakefiles() {
-    local sedcmd=$1
-
-    sed "${sedcmd}" fig2dev/Imakefile > tmpsed
-    cp tmpsed fig2dev/Imakefile
-
-    sed "${sedcmd}" fig2dev/dev/Imakefile > tmpsed
-    cp tmpsed fig2dev/dev/Imakefile
-
-    sed "${sedcmd}" transfig/Imakefile > tmpsed
-    cp tmpsed transfig/Imakefile
-}
-
-buildPhase() {
-    xmkmf
-    make Makefiles
-    make
-}
-
-preInstall() {
-    mkdir -p $out
-    mkdir -p $out/lib
-}
-
-genericBuild
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/default.nix
index 948bba6d459f..cb3f0edff0f8 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/graphics/transfig/default.nix
@@ -2,34 +2,63 @@
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "transfig-3.2.4";
-  builder = ./builder.sh;
   src = fetchurl {
     url = ftp://ftp.tex.ac.uk/pub/archive/graphics/transfig/transfig.3.2.4.tar.gz;
     sha256 = "0429snhp5acbz61pvblwlrwv8nxr6gf12p37f9xxwrkqv4ir7dd4";
   };
 
   buildInputs = [zlib libjpeg libpng imake];
-  inherit libpng;
+
+  patches = [
+    ./patch-fig2dev-dev-Imakefile
+    ./patch-fig2dev-Imakefile
+    ./patch-transfig-Imakefile
+    ./patch-fig2dev-fig2dev.h
+    ./patch-fig2dev-dev-gensvg.c
+  ];
+
+  patchPhase = ''
+    runHook prePatch
+
+    configureImakefiles() {
+        local sedcmd=$1
+
+        sed "$sedcmd" fig2dev/Imakefile > tmpsed
+        cp tmpsed fig2dev/Imakefile
+
+        sed "$sedcmd" fig2dev/dev/Imakefile > tmpsed
+        cp tmpsed fig2dev/dev/Imakefile
+
+        sed "$sedcmd" transfig/Imakefile > tmpsed
+        cp tmpsed transfig/Imakefile
+    }
+
+    for i in $patches; do
+        header "applying patch $i" 3
+        patch -p0 < $i
+        stopNest
+    done
+
+    configureImakefiles "s:__PREFIX_PNG:${libpng}:"
+    configureImakefiles "s:__PREFIX:$out:"
+
+    runHook postPatch
+  '';
+
+  preBuild = ''
+    xmkmf
+    make Makefiles
+  '';
+
+  makeFlags = [ "CC=cc" ];
+
+  preInstall = ''
+    mkdir -p $out
+    mkdir -p $out/lib
+  '';
 
   hardeningDisable = [ "format" ];
 
-  patches = [prefixPatch1 prefixPatch2 prefixPatch3 varargsPatch gensvgPatch];
-
-  prefixPatch1 =
-    ./patch-fig2dev-dev-Imakefile;
-
-  prefixPatch2 =
-    ./patch-fig2dev-Imakefile;
-
-  prefixPatch3 =
-    ./patch-transfig-Imakefile;
-
-  varargsPatch =
-    ./patch-fig2dev-fig2dev.h;
-
-  gensvgPatch =
-    ./patch-fig2dev-dev-gensvg.c;
-
   meta = {
     platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.unix;
   };