diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/perl-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/perl-packages.nix
index 3ccfac4d0cfe..a0eafedf2fb6 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/perl-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/perl-packages.nix
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ let
 
     installPhase = "./Build install --prefix $out";
 
-    SDL_INST_DIR = pkgs.SDL.dev;
+    SDL_INST_DIR = lib.getDev pkgs.SDL;
     buildInputs = [ pkgs.SDL ArchiveExtract ArchiveZip TextPatch ];
     propagatedBuildInputs = [ CaptureTiny FileShareDir FileWhich ];