diff --git a/pkgs/applications/audio/amarok/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/audio/amarok/default.nix
index f70974427444..0cf939a85c63 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/audio/amarok/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/audio/amarok/default.nix
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   nativeBuildInputs = [ automoc4 cmake perl pkgconfig ];
 
   buildInputs = [
-    qtscriptgenerator stdenv.cc.libc gettext curl libxml2 mysql.lib
+    qtscriptgenerator stdenv.cc.libc gettext curl libxml2 mysql.server/*libmysqld*/
     taglib taglib_extras loudmouth kdelibs phonon strigi soprano qca2
     libmtp liblastfm libgpod qjson ffmpeg libofa nepomuk_core
     lz4 lzo snappy libaio pcre
diff --git a/pkgs/applications/gis/grass/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/gis/grass/default.nix
index c373f8b9e272..5773718b0a4c 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/gis/grass/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/gis/grass/default.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
   };
 
   buildInputs = [ flex bison zlib proj gdal libtiff libpng fftw sqlite pkgconfig cairo
-  readline ffmpeg makeWrapper wxGTK30 netcdf geos postgresql mysql.lib blas ]
+  readline ffmpeg makeWrapper wxGTK30 netcdf geos postgresql mysql.client blas ]
     ++ (with pythonPackages; [ python dateutil wxPython30 numpy sqlite3 ]);
 
   configureFlags = [
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     "--with-netcdf"
     "--with-geos"
     "--with-postgres" "--with-postgres-libs=${postgresql.lib}/lib/"
-    "--with-mysql" "--with-mysql-includes=${mysql.lib}/include/mysql"
+    # it complains about missing libmysqld but doesn't really seem to need it
+    "--with-mysql" "--with-mysql-includes=${stdenv.lib.getDev mysql.client}/include/mysql"
     "--with-blas"
   ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/hhvm/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/hhvm/default.nix
index 59fb90d78cdf..ef4aa44d436a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/hhvm/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/hhvm/default.nix
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   };
 
   buildInputs =
-    [ cmake pkgconfig boost libunwind mariadb libmemcached pcre gdb git perl
+    [ cmake pkgconfig boost libunwind mariadb.client libmemcached pcre gdb git perl
       libevent gd curl libxml2 icu flex bison openssl zlib php expat libcap
       oniguruma libdwarf libmcrypt tbb gperftools bzip2 openldap readline
       libelf uwimap binutils cyrus_sasl pam glog libpng libxslt ocaml libkrb5
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   enableParallelBuilding = false; # occasional build problems;
   dontUseCmakeBuildDir = true;
   NIX_LDFLAGS = "-lpam -L${pam}/lib";
-  MYSQL_INCLUDE_DIR="${mariadb}/include/mysql";
-  MYSQL_DIR=mariadb;
 
   # work around broken build system
   NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-I${freetype.dev}/include/freetype2";
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/urweb/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/urweb/default.nix
index d9c448970c97..638b10f76d5d 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/urweb/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/urweb/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, file, openssl, mlton
+{ stdenv, lib, fetchurl, file, openssl, mlton
 , mysql, postgresql, sqlite
 }:
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "08km96hli5yp754nsxxjzih2la0m89j5wc2cq12rkas43nqqgr65";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ openssl mlton mysql postgresql sqlite ];
+  buildInputs = [ openssl mlton mysql.client postgresql sqlite ];
 
   prePatch = ''
     sed -e 's@/usr/bin/file@${file}/bin/file@g' -i configure
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   preConfigure = ''
     export PGHEADER="${postgresql}/include/libpq-fe.h";
-    export MSHEADER="${mysql.lib}/include/mysql/mysql.h";
+    export MSHEADER="${lib.getDev mysql.client}/include/mysql/mysql.h";
     export SQHEADER="${sqlite.dev}/include/sqlite3.h";
 
     export CCARGS="-I$out/include \
-                   -L${mysql.lib}/lib/mysql \
+                   -L${lib.getLib mysql.client}/lib/mysql \
                    -L${postgresql.lib}/lib \
                    -L${sqlite.out}/lib";
   '';
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/php/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/php/default.nix
index df634147f58d..3188d9424416 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/php/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/php/default.nix
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ let
         };
 
         mysql = {
-          configureFlags = ["--with-mysql=${mysql.lib}"];
+          configureFlags = ["--with-mysql"];
           buildInputs = [ mysql.lib ];
         };
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libdbi-drivers/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libdbi-drivers/default.nix
index f64174778b20..77c09f3ed158 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libdbi-drivers/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libdbi-drivers/default.nix
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "--with-dbi-libdir=${libdbi}/lib"
   ] ++ optionals (libmysql != null) [
     "--with-mysql"
-    "--with-mysql-incdir=${libmysql}/include/mysql"
-    "--with-mysql-libdir=${libmysql}/lib/mysql"
   ] ++ optionals (postgresql != null) [
     "--with-pgsql"
     "--with-pgsql_incdir=${postgresql}/include"
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/opendbx/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/opendbx/default.nix
index 03e7718a3ae4..37afa3fd5070 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/opendbx/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/opendbx/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 { stdenv, fetchurl, readline, mysql, postgresql, sqlite }:
 
+let
+  inherit (stdenv.lib) getDev getLib;
+in
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "opendbx-1.4.6";
 
@@ -9,10 +12,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   };
 
   preConfigure = ''
-    export CPPFLAGS="-I${mysql.lib}/include/mysql"
-    export LDFLAGS="-L${mysql.lib}/lib/mysql"
+    export CPPFLAGS="-I${getDev mysql.client}/include/mysql"
+    export LDFLAGS="-L${getLib mysql.client}/lib/mysql -L${getLib postgresql}/lib"
     configureFlagsArray=(--with-backends="mysql pgsql sqlite3")
   '';
 
-  buildInputs = [ readline mysql.lib postgresql sqlite ];
+  buildInputs = [ readline mysql.client postgresql sqlite ];
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-3/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-3/default.nix
index e7b4b907df99..949f3f5b7786 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-3/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-3/default.nix
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       -I${randrproto}/include" else "-no-xrandr"}
     ${if xineramaSupport then "-xinerama -L${libXinerama.out}/lib -I${libXinerama.dev}/include" else "-no-xinerama"}
     ${if cursorSupport then "-L${libXcursor.out}/lib -I${libXcursor.dev}/include" else ""}
-    ${if mysqlSupport then "-qt-sql-mysql -L${mysql.lib}/lib/mysql -I${mysql.lib}/include/mysql" else ""}
+    ${if mysqlSupport then "-qt-sql-mysql -L${stdenv.lib.getLib mysql.client}/lib/mysql -I${mysql.client}/include/mysql" else ""}
     ${if xftSupport then "-xft
       -L${libXft.out}/lib -I${libXft.dev}/include
       -L${libXft.freetype.out}/lib -I${libXft.freetype.dev}/include
diff --git a/pkgs/development/lisp-modules/lisp-packages.nix b/pkgs/development/lisp-modules/lisp-packages.nix
index e8ec8f2aa241..abadf07a574a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/lisp-modules/lisp-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/lisp-modules/lisp-packages.nix
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ let lispPackages = rec {
     version = "git-20150514";
     description = "Common Lisp SQL Interface library";
     deps = [uffi];
-    buildInputs = [pkgs.mysql.lib pkgs.zlib];
+    buildInputs = [pkgs.mysql.client pkgs.zlib];
     # Source type: git
     src = pkgs.fetchgit {
       url =
@@ -204,8 +204,8 @@ let lispPackages = rec {
     };
     overrides = x:{
       preConfigure = ''
-        export NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE="$NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE -I${pkgs.mysql.lib}/include/mysql"
-        export NIX_LDFLAGS="$NIX_LDFLAGS -L${pkgs.mysql.lib}/lib/mysql"
+        export NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE="$NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE -I${stdenv.lib.getDev pkgs.mysql.client}/include/mysql"
+        export NIX_LDFLAGS="$NIX_LDFLAGS -L${stdenv.lib.getLib pkgs.mysql.client}/lib/mysql"
       '';
     };
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/development/ocaml-modules/mysql/default.nix b/pkgs/development/ocaml-modules/mysql/default.nix
index 3131d8212e42..ce3487a80a0e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/ocaml-modules/mysql/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/ocaml-modules/mysql/default.nix
@@ -23,15 +23,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
      "--libdir=$out/lib/ocaml/${ocaml_version}/site-lib/mysql"
   ];
 
-  buildInputs = [ocaml findlib mysql.lib camlp4 ];
+  buildInputs = [ocaml findlib camlp4 ];
 
   createFindlibDestdir = true;
 
-  propagatedBuildInputs = [ mysql.lib ];
-
-  preConfigure = ''
-    export LDFLAGS="-L${mysql.lib}/lib/mysql"
-  '';
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ mysql.client ];
 
   buildPhase = ''
     make
diff --git a/pkgs/development/pure-modules/glpk/default.nix b/pkgs/development/pure-modules/glpk/default.nix
index 22d2bc177380..af13e8566324 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/pure-modules/glpk/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/pure-modules/glpk/default.nix
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
     preConfigure = ''
       substituteInPlace configure \
-        --replace /usr/include/mysql ${libmysql}/include/mysql
+        --replace /usr/include/mysql ${lib.getDev libmysql}/include/mysql
     '';
     configureFlags = [ "--enable-dl"
                        "--enable-odbc"
diff --git a/pkgs/games/zod/default.nix b/pkgs/games/zod/default.nix
index 9975aa1b15b7..d7a0a62f5bd6 100644
--- a/pkgs/games/zod/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/games/zod/default.nix
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   buildInputs = [ unrar unzip SDL SDL_image SDL_ttf SDL_mixer libmysql
     makeWrapper ];
 
-  NIX_LDFLAGS="-L${libmysql}/lib/mysql";
+  NIX_LDFLAGS="-L${stdenv.lib.getLib libmysql}/lib/mysql";
 
   installPhase = ''
     mkdir -p $out/bin $out/share/zod
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/mail/dspam/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/mail/dspam/default.nix
index 1ac47fbf7224..6f52e62aab75 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/mail/dspam/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/mail/dspam/default.nix
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "--enable-preferences-extension"
     "--enable-long-usernames"
     "--enable-external-lookup"
-  ] ++ lib.optional withMySQL "--with-mysql-includes=${libmysql}/include/mysql"
+  ] ++ lib.optional withMySQL "--with-mysql-includes=${lib.getDev libmysql}/include/mysql"
     ++ lib.optional withPgSQL "--with-pgsql-libraries=${postgresql.lib}/lib";
 
   # Lots of things are hardwired to paths like sysconfdir. That's why we install with both "prefix" and "DESTDIR"
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/mail/postfix/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/mail/postfix/default.nix
index 008c8c90d1be..99371f41b0f1 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/mail/postfix/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/mail/postfix/default.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ let
     "-DHAS_DB_BYPASS_MAKEDEFS_CHECK"
     "-fPIE" "-fstack-protector-all" "--param" "ssp-buffer-size=4" "-O2" "-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2"
    ] ++ lib.optional withPgSQL "-DHAS_PGSQL"
-     ++ lib.optionals withMySQL [ "-DHAS_MYSQL" "-I${libmysql}/include/mysql" ]
+     ++ lib.optionals withMySQL [ "-DHAS_MYSQL" "-I${lib.getDev libmysql}/include/mysql" ]
      ++ lib.optional withSQLite "-DHAS_SQLITE");
    auxlibs = lib.concatStringsSep " " ([
      "-ldb" "-lnsl" "-lresolv" "-lsasl2" "-lcrypto" "-lssl" "-pie" "-Wl,-z,relro,-z,now"
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/restund/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/restund/default.nix
index 8a831f7ff697..acca1af60550 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/restund/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/restund/default.nix
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   ++ stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.cc.cc != null) "SYSROOT_ALT=${stdenv.cc.cc}"
   ++ stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.cc.libc != null) "SYSROOT=${stdenv.cc.libc}"
   ;
-  NIX_LDFLAGS='' -L${mysql.lib}/lib/mysql '';
+  NIX_LDFLAGS='' -L${stdenv.lib.getLib mysql.client}/lib/mysql '';
   meta = {
     homepage = "http://www.creytiv.com/restund.html";
     platforms = with stdenv.lib.platforms; linux;