diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/man-db/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/man-db/default.nix
index 894481fc3fd4..e88a189854f6 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/man-db/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/man-db/default.nix
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "ac_cv_func__set_invalid_parameter_handler=no"
     "ac_cv_func_posix_fadvise=no"
     "ac_cv_func_mempcpy=no"
+  ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isFreeBSD [
+    "--enable-mandirs="
   ];
 
   preConfigure = ''