diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/minicom/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/minicom/default.nix
index 2cd383bd698..ef735bf4384 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/minicom/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/minicom/default.nix
@@ -1,18 +1,32 @@
 { stdenv, fetchurl, ncurses }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
-  name = "minicom-2.3";
-  
+  name = "minicom-2.4";
+
   src = fetchurl {
-    url = "http://alioth.debian.org/frs/download.php/2332/${name}.tar.gz";
-    sha256 = "1ysn0crdhvwyvdlbw0ms5nq06xy2pd2glwjs53p384byl3ac7jra";
+    url = "http://alioth.debian.org/frs/download.php/3195/${name}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "0j0ayimh3389pciqs60fsfafn87p9gnmmmqz15xq9fkkn10g4ykb";
   };
 
   buildInputs = [ncurses];
-  
-  configureFlags = [ "--sysconfdir=/etc" ];
+
+  configureFlags = [ "--sysconfdir=/etc" "--enable-lock-dir=/var/lock" ];
+
+  preConfigure =
+    # Have `configure' assume that the lock directory exists.
+    '' sed -i "configure" -e's/test -d \$UUCPLOCK/true/g'
+    '';
 
   meta = {
-    description = "Serial console";
+    description = "Minicom, a modem control and terminal emulation program";
+    homepage = http://alioth.debian.org/projects/minicom/;
+
+    longDescription =
+      '' Minicom is a menu driven communications program.  It emulates ANSI
+         and VT102 terminals.  It has a dialing directory and auto zmodem
+         download.
+      '';
+
+    platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.gnu;  # arbitrary choice
   };
 }