diff --git a/pkgs/applications/office/qpdfview/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/office/qpdfview/default.nix
index 56bd5f126afa..7d44c684fd99 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/office/qpdfview/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/office/qpdfview/default.nix
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ mkDerivation rec {
     ghostscript
   ];
 
+  # needed for qmakeFlags+=( below
+  __structuredAttrs = true;
+
   preConfigure = ''
     lrelease qpdfview.pro
     qmakeFlags+=(*.pro)