diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libassuan/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libassuan/default.nix
index 3c78b6265bf9..507470900111 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libassuan/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libassuan/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ fetchurl, stdenv, gettext, pth, libgpgerror }:
+{ fetchurl, stdenv, gettext, pth, libgpgerror, buildPackages }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "libassuan";
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   outputs = [ "out" "dev" "info" ];
   outputBin = "dev"; # libassuan-config
 
-  buildInputs = [ libgpgerror pth gettext];
+  depsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ];
+  buildInputs = [ pth gettext ];
+
+  configureFlags = [
+    "--with-libgpg-error-prefix=${libgpgerror.dev}"
+  ];
 
   doCheck = true;