diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
index 0baa72993ba..e1e2be3137b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   configureFlags = "--enable-threadsafe";
 
-  CFLAGS = "-DSQLITE_ENABLE_COLUMN_METADATA=1 -DSQLITE_SECURE_DELETE=1 -DSQLITE_ENABLE_UNLOCK_NOTIFY=1";
+  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-DSQLITE_ENABLE_COLUMN_METADATA=1 -DSQLITE_SECURE_DELETE=1 -DSQLITE_ENABLE_UNLOCK_NOTIFY=1";
 
   meta = {
     homepage = http://www.sqlite.org/;