diff --git a/pkgs/development/perl-modules/generic/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/perl-modules/generic/builder.sh
index 4da9f7a98212..f87bb2b9e177 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/perl-modules/generic/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/perl-modules/generic/builder.sh
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ preConfigure() {
         fi
     done
 
-    perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=$out INSTALLDIRS=site $makeMakerFlags PERL=$(type -P perl) FULLPERL=\"$fullperl/bin/perl\"
+    local flagsArray=()
+    concatTo flagsArray makeMakerFlags
+
+    perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=$out INSTALLDIRS=site "${flagsArray[@]}" PERL=$(type -P perl) FULLPERL=\"$fullperl/bin/perl\"
 }
 
 if test -n "$perlPreHook"; then