diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libelf/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libelf/default.nix
index 65c34b854f8e..07873f4197e3 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libelf/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libelf/default.nix
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   doCheck = true;
 
-  preConfigure = lib.optionalString (stdenv.hostPlatform.useAndroidPrebuilt) ''
+  preConfigure = if !stdenv.hostPlatform.useAndroidPrebuilt then null else ''
     sed -i 's|DISTSUBDIRS = lib po|DISTSUBDIRS = lib|g' Makefile.in
     sed -i 's|SUBDIRS = lib @POSUB@|SUBDIRS = lib|g' Makefile.in
   '';