diff --git a/pkgs/servers/sql/mariadb/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/sql/mariadb/default.nix
index 294876c28d17..ecb8349406a8 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/sql/mariadb/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/sql/mariadb/default.nix
@@ -365,7 +365,9 @@ let
             rm -r "$out"/OFF
           '';
 
-        CXXFLAGS = lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isi686 "-fpermissive";
+        env = lib.optionalAttrs stdenv.hostPlatform.isi686 {
+          CXXFLAGS = "-fpermissive";
+        };
 
         passthru = {
           inherit client;