diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/gnu/hurd/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/gnu/hurd/default.nix
index b53dd98d9e7d..88203a31d3b1 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/gnu/hurd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/gnu/hurd/default.nix
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
 
   preConfigure = "autoreconf -vfi";
 
+  patchPhase =
+    '' echo "removing \`-o root' from makefiles..."
+       for mf in {utils,daemons}/Makefile
+       do
+         sed -i "$mf" -e's/-o root//g'
+       done
+    '';
+
   buildPhase = "make ${buildTarget}";
   installPhase = "make ${installTarget}";