diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gu/guile-lib/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gu/guile-lib/package.nix
index d6d51c9878a8..2e327df9a259 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gu/guile-lib/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gu/guile-lib/package.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   stdenv,
   fetchurl,
   autoreconfHook,
+  gettext,
   guile,
   pkg-config,
   texinfo,
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       --replace 'SITECCACHEDIR="$libdir/guile-lib/guile/$GUILE_EFFECTIVE_VERSION/site-ccache"' 'SITECCACHEDIR="$libdir/guile/$GUILE_EFFECTIVE_VERSION/site-ccache"'
   '';
 
+  # error: possibly undefined macro: AC_LIB_LINKFLAGS_FROM_LIBS
+  preAutoreconf = ''
+    cp ${gettext}/share/gettext/m4/lib-{ld,link,prefix}.m4 m4
+  '';
+
   makeFlags = [ "GUILE_AUTO_COMPILE=0" ];
 
   doCheck = !stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin;