diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/default.nix
index 7853a80f073d..e88a831821e0 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/default.nix
@@ -62,6 +62,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "GuIS/4mZFVQuxTtU2VtozfJx2VjPUSzcP+3Hgixu4SM=";
   };
 
+  patches = [
+    # Fix path to libgovf-0.1.so (and libgtk-frdp-0.1.so when enabling rdp meson option)
+    # in the gir file. We patch gobject-introspection to hardcode absolute paths but
+    # our Meson patch will only pass the info when install_dir is absolute as well.
+    ./fix-gir-lib-path.patch
+  ];
+
   doCheck = true;
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/fix-gir-lib-path.patch b/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/fix-gir-lib-path.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6b0ba4732997
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome/apps/gnome-boxes/fix-gir-lib-path.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+--- a/subprojects/libovf-glib/govf/meson.build
++++ b/subprojects/libovf-glib/govf/meson.build
+@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ govf_lib = shared_library('govf-' + api_version,
+   govf_sources,
+   dependencies: govf_deps,
+   install: true,
+-  install_dir: libdir
++  install_dir: get_option ('prefix') / libdir
+ )
+ 
+ govf_dep = declare_dependency(
+--- a/subprojects/gtk-frdp/src/meson.build
++++ b/subprojects/gtk-frdp/src/meson.build
+@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ gtk_frdp_lib = shared_library('gtk-frdp-' + api_version,
+   gtk_frdp_sources,
+   dependencies: gtk_frdp_deps,
+   install: true,
+-  install_dir: libdir
++  install_dir: get_option ('prefix') / libdir
+ )
+ 
+ gtk_frdp_dep = declare_dependency(