diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/wlroots/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/wlroots/default.nix
index 45c2fd228f2d..9dc717c34790 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/wlroots/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/wlroots/default.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   # $out for the library and $examples for the example programs (in examples):
   outputs = [ "out" "examples" ];
 
+  depsBuildBuild = [ pkg-config ];
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ meson ninja pkg-config wayland-scanner ];
 
   buildInputs = [