diff --git a/pkgs/games/curseofwar/default.nix b/pkgs/by-name/cu/curseofwar/package.nix
similarity index 80%
rename from pkgs/games/curseofwar/default.nix
rename to pkgs/by-name/cu/curseofwar/package.nix
index a6f411ca53ce..42760add1d98 100644
--- a/pkgs/games/curseofwar/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/cu/curseofwar/package.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   lib,
   stdenv,
   fetchFromGitHub,
+  withSDL ? false,
   ncurses,
   SDL,
 }:
@@ -19,10 +20,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
 
   buildInputs = [
     ncurses
-    SDL
+    (if withSDL then SDL else null)
   ];
 
-  makeFlags = (lib.optionals (SDL != null) [ "SDL=yes" ]) ++ [
+  makeFlags = (lib.optional withSDL "SDL=yes") ++ [
     "PREFIX=$(out)"
     # force platform's cc on darwin, otherwise gcc is used
     "CC=${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}cc"
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     description = "Fast-paced action strategy game";
     homepage = "https://a-nikolaev.github.io/curseofwar/";
     license = lib.licenses.gpl3;
-    mainProgram = if SDL != null then "curseofwar-sdl" else "curseofwar";
+    mainProgram = if withSDL then "curseofwar-sdl" else "curseofwar";
     maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ fgaz ];
     platforms = lib.platforms.all;
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index ea050fde2cde..c1511cad7e5a 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -12203,8 +12203,10 @@ with pkgs;
     tileMode = true;
   };
 
-  curseofwar = callPackage ../games/curseofwar { SDL = null; };
-  curseofwar-sdl = callPackage ../games/curseofwar { ncurses = null; };
+  curseofwar-sdl = curseofwar.override {
+    withSDL = true;
+    ncurses = null;
+  };
 
   ddnet-server = ddnet.override { buildClient = false; };