diff --git a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/build-texlive-package.nix b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/build-texlive-package.nix
index 11c77e487548..bda645c350b7 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/build-texlive-package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/build-texlive-package.nix
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ let
   }
   // lib.optionalAttrs hasCatalogue {
     homepage = "https://ctan.org/pkg/${catalogue}";
+  }
+  // lib.optionalAttrs (args ? mainProgram) {
+    inherit (args) mainProgram;
   };
 
   hasBinfiles = args ? binfiles && args.binfiles != [ ];
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/tlpdb-overrides.nix b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/tlpdb-overrides.nix
index f2321c21cbc5..80b7128ca334 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/tlpdb-overrides.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/tlpdb-overrides.nix
@@ -627,4 +627,6 @@ lib.recursiveUpdate orig rec {
       fi
     '';
   };
+
+  texcount.mainProgram = "texcount";
 }