diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/crystal/build-package.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/crystal/build-package.nix
index 2328e76ad770..a44eaeb369b6 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/crystal/build-package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/crystal/build-package.nix
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (mkDerivationArgs // {
     '')
     crystalBinaries)
   ++ lib.optional (format == "shards")
-    "shards build --local --production ${lib.concatStringsSep " " defaultOptions}"
+    "shards build --local --production ${lib.concatStringsSep " " (args.options or defaultOptions)}"
   ++ [ "runHook postBuild" ]));
 
   installPhase = args.installPhase or (lib.concatStringsSep "\n" ([