diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.8.4.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.8.4.nix
index 002d83ef6be1..544b96f5e4f0 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.8.4.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.8.4.nix
@@ -134,6 +134,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (rec {
     # upstream patch. Don't forget to check backport status of the upstream patch
     # when adding new GHC releases in nixpkgs.
     ./respect-ar-path.patch
+    # Fix documentation configuration which causes a syntax error with sphinx 4.*
+    # See also https://gitlab.haskell.org/ghc/ghc/-/issues/19962
+    ./sphinx-4-configuration.patch
   ];
 
   postPatch = "patchShebangs .";