diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/simdjson/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/simdjson/default.nix
index 215b1ebc4f01..571e4e717d8f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/simdjson/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/simdjson/default.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   cmakeFlags = [
     "-DSIMDJSON_DEVELOPER_MODE=OFF"
-  ] ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic "-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF";
+  ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic [
+    "-DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF"
+  ] ++ lib.optionals (with stdenv.hostPlatform; isPower && isBigEndian) [
+    # Assume required CPU features are available, since otherwise we
+    # just get a failed build.
+    "-DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS=-mpower8-vector"
+  ];
 
   meta = with lib; {
     homepage = "https://simdjson.org/";