diff --git a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
index 093bc2f78848..529c6db091d3 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ let
     bnpmr = [ pkgs.gsl_1 ];
     BNSP = [ pkgs.gsl_1 ];
     cairoDevice = [ pkgs.gtk2 ];
-    Cairo = [ pkgs.libtiff pkgs.libjpeg pkgs.cairo ];
+    Cairo = [ pkgs.libtiff pkgs.libjpeg pkgs.cairo.dev pkgs.x11 pkgs.fontconfig.lib ];
     Cardinal = [ pkgs.which ];
     chebpol = [ pkgs.fftw ];
     ChemmineOB = [ pkgs.openbabel pkgs.pkgconfig ];
@@ -1791,6 +1791,10 @@ let
         '';
     });
 
+    Cairo = old.Cairo.overrideDerivation (attrs: {
+      NIX_LDFLAGS = "-lfontconfig";
+    });
+
     curl = old.curl.overrideDerivation (attrs: {
       preConfigure = "patchShebangs configure";
     });