diff --git a/pkgs/tools/admin/netplan/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/admin/netplan/default.nix
index 39cffeaf2020..1c075fc75b3b 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/admin/netplan/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/admin/netplan/default.nix
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     substituteInPlace Makefile \
       --replace 'SYSTEMD_GENERATOR_DIR=' 'SYSTEMD_GENERATOR_DIR ?= ' \
       --replace 'SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR=' 'SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR ?= ' \
-      --replace 'BASH_COMPLETIONS_DIR=' 'BASH_COMPLETIONS_DIR ?= '
+      --replace 'BASH_COMPLETIONS_DIR=' 'BASH_COMPLETIONS_DIR ?= ' \
+      --replace 'pkg-config' '$(PKG_CONFIG)'
 
     # from upstream https://github.com/canonical/netplan/blob/ee0d5df7b1dfbc3197865f02c724204b955e0e58/rpm/netplan.spec#L81
     sed -e "s/-Werror//g" -i Makefile