diff --git a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/squashfs/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/squashfs/default.nix
index 340c5add295e..3be3865ccd07 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/squashfs/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/squashfs/default.nix
@@ -24,12 +24,21 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   };
 
   patches = [
+    # remove once https://github.com/plougher/squashfs-tools/pull/177 is merged and in a release
+    (fetchpatch {
+      url = "https://github.com/plougher/squashfs-tools/commit/6100e82c7e7f18f503c003c67c87791025d5f01b.patch";
+      sha256 = "sha256-bMBQsbSKQ4E7r9avns2QaomGAYl3s82m58gYyTQdB08=";
+    })
     # This patch adds an option to pad filesystems (increasing size) in
     # exchange for better chunking / binary diff calculation.
     ./4k-align.patch
   ] ++ lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin ./darwin.patch;
 
-  buildInputs = [ zlib xz zstd lz4 lzo which help2man ];
+  strictDeps = true;
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ which ]
+    # when cross-compiling help2man cannot run the cross-compiled binary
+    ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform) [ help2man ];
+  buildInputs = [ zlib xz zstd lz4 lzo ];
 
   preBuild = ''
     cd squashfs-tools