diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/wasmer/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/wasmer/default.nix
index 60ce4d89f19..91e13ed32cd 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/wasmer/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/wasmer/default.nix
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ rustPlatform.buildRustPackage rec {
   # using the [makefile](https://github.com/wasmerio/wasmer/blob/master/Makefile).
   # Enabling cranelift as this used to be the old default. At least one backend is
   # needed for the run subcommand to work.
-  cargoBuildFlags = [ "--features 'backend-cranelift'" ];
+  cargoBuildFlags = [ "--features" "backend-cranelift" ];
 
   LIBCLANG_PATH = "${llvmPackages.libclang}/lib";