diff --git a/pkgs/tools/video/mjpegtools/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/video/mjpegtools/default.nix
index 4da0b3a83d8..40fe5eb0147 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/video/mjpegtools/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/video/mjpegtools/default.nix
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   buildInputs = [ libdv libjpeg libpng pkgconfig ]
               ++ lib.optional (!withMinimal) [ gtk libX11 SDL SDL_gfx ];
 
-  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = [ "-I${SDL}/include/SDL" ];
+  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = lib.optional (!withMinimal) "-I${SDL}/include/SDL";
 
   postPatch = ''
     sed -i -e '/ARCHFLAGS=/s:=.*:=:' configure