diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/qu/quirc/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/qu/quirc/package.nix
index d85f3d3473d3..0251561a2262 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/qu/quirc/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/qu/quirc/package.nix
@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   };
 
   postPatch = ''
+    # use correct pkg-config / ar / ranlib for cross
     # don't try to change ownership
     substituteInPlace Makefile \
+      --replace-fail "pkg-config " "${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}pkg-config " \
+      --replace-fail "ar " "${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}ar " \
+      --replace-fail "ranlib " "${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}ranlib " \
       --replace-fail "-o root" "" \
       --replace-fail "-g root" ""
   '';