diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ro/rocksndiamonds/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ro/rocksndiamonds/package.nix
index 503c9819db46..9091dc837ef4 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ro/rocksndiamonds/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ro/rocksndiamonds/package.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   stdenv,
   fetchurl,
   makeDesktopItem,
+  copyDesktopItems,
   SDL2,
   SDL2_image,
   SDL2_mixer,
@@ -10,28 +11,36 @@
   zlib,
 }:
 
-stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   pname = "rocksndiamonds";
   version = "4.4.0.5";
 
   src = fetchurl {
-    url = "https://www.artsoft.org/RELEASES/linux/${pname}/${pname}-${version}-linux.tar.gz";
+    url = "https://www.artsoft.org/RELEASES/linux/rocksndiamonds/rocksndiamonds-${finalAttrs.version}-linux.tar.gz";
     hash = "sha256-8e6ZYpFoUQ4+ykHDLlKWWyUANPq1lXv7IRHYWfBOU/U=";
   };
 
-  desktopItem = makeDesktopItem {
-    name = "rocksndiamonds";
-    exec = "rocksndiamonds";
-    icon = "rocksndiamonds";
-    comment = meta.description;
-    desktopName = "Rocks'n'Diamonds";
-    genericName = "Tile-based puzzle";
-    categories = [
-      "Game"
-      "LogicGame"
-    ];
-  };
+  desktopItems = [
+    (makeDesktopItem {
+      name = "rocksndiamonds";
+      exec = finalAttrs.meta.mainProgram;
+      icon = "rocksndiamonds";
+      comment = finalAttrs.meta.description;
+      desktopName = "Rocks'n'Diamonds";
+      genericName = "Tile-based puzzle";
+      categories = [
+        "Game"
+        "LogicGame"
+      ];
+    })
+  ];
 
+  strictDeps = true;
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    SDL2 # sdl2-config
+    copyDesktopItems
+  ];
   buildInputs = [
     SDL2
     SDL2_image
@@ -40,33 +49,33 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     zlib
   ];
 
-  preBuild = ''
-    dataDir="$out/share/rocksndiamonds"
-    appendToVar makeFlags "BASE_PATH=$dataDir"
+  preConfigure = ''
+    dataDir=$out/share/rocksndiamonds
+    makeFlagsArray+=("CC=$CC" "AR=$AR" "RANLIB=$RANLIB" "BASE_PATH=$dataDir")
   '';
 
   installPhase = ''
     runHook preInstall
 
-    appDir=$out/share/applications
     iconDir=$out/share/icons/hicolor/32x32/apps
-    mkdir -p $out/bin $appDir $iconDir $dataDir
+    mkdir -p $out/bin $iconDir $dataDir
     cp rocksndiamonds $out/bin/
-    ln -s ${desktopItem}/share/applications/* $appDir/
     ln -s $dataDir/graphics/gfx_classic/icons/icon.png $iconDir/rocksndiamonds.png
     cp -r conf docs graphics levels music sounds $dataDir
 
     runHook postInstall
   '';
 
-  enableParallelBuilding = true;
+  # flaky with parallel building
+  # ranlib: game_bd.a: error reading bd_caveengine.o: file truncated
+  enableParallelBuilding = false;
 
-  meta = with lib; {
+  meta = {
     description = "Scrolling tile-based arcade style puzzle game";
     mainProgram = "rocksndiamonds";
     homepage = "https://www.artsoft.org/rocksndiamonds/";
-    license = licenses.gpl2Only;
-    platforms = platforms.linux;
-    maintainers = with maintainers; [ orivej ];
+    license = lib.licenses.gpl2Only;
+    platforms = lib.platforms.linux;
+    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ orivej ];
   };
-}
+})