diff --git a/pkgs/applications/office/wordgrinder/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/office/wordgrinder/default.nix
index 9518aaca878..4271e3d17aa 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/office/wordgrinder/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/office/wordgrinder/default.nix
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "PREFIX=$(out)"
     "LUA_INCLUDE=${lua52Packages.lua}/include"
     "LUA_LIB=${lua52Packages.lua}/lib/liblua.so"
-  ] ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isLinux "XFT_PACKAGE=--libs=\{-lX11 -lXft\}";
+  ];
+
+  preBuild = stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isLinux ''
+    makeFlagsArray+=('XFT_PACKAGE=--cflags={} --libs={-lX11 -lXft}')
+  '';
 
   dontUseNinjaBuild = true;
   dontUseNinjaInstall = true;