diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/mo/movit/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/mo/movit/package.nix
index b4575cb3f5ca..8604525c2302 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/mo/movit/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/mo/movit/package.nix
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     libepoxy
   ];
 
-  env = lib.optionalAttrs stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin {
+  env = {
+    NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-std=c++17"; # needed for latest gtest
+  } // lib.optionalAttrs stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin {
     NIX_LDFLAGS = "-framework OpenGL";
   };