diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
index 56b17a865df..a420c542556 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
@@ -52,19 +52,9 @@ self:
       # part of a larger package
       caml = dontConfigure super.caml;
 
-      # part of a larger package
-      # upstream issue: missing package version
-      cmake-mode = markBroken (dontConfigure super.cmake-mode);
-
       # Expects bash to be at /bin/bash
       company-rtags = markBroken super.company-rtags;
 
-      # upstream issue: missing file header
-      connection = markBroken super.connection;
-
-      # upstream issue: missing file header
-      dictionary = markBroken super.dictionary;
-
       easy-kill-extras = super.easy-kill-extras.override {
         inherit (self.melpaPackages) easy-kill;
       };
@@ -79,6 +69,17 @@ self:
         inherit (self.melpaPackages) ess ctable popup;
       };
 
+      evil-magit = super.evil-magit.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        # searches for Git at build time
+        nativeBuildInputs =
+          (attrs.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [ external.git ];
+      });
+
+      # missing dependencies
+      evil-search-highlight-persist = super.evil-search-highlight-persist.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        packageRequires = with self; [ evil highlight ];
+      });
+
       # missing OCaml
       flycheck-ocaml = markBroken super.flycheck-ocaml;
 
@@ -108,15 +109,17 @@ self:
       # upstream issue: missing file header
       initsplit = super.initsplit;
 
+      # tries to write a log file to $HOME
+      insert-shebang = super.insert-shebang.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        HOME = "/tmp";
+      });
+
       # Expects bash to be at /bin/bash
       ivy-rtags = markBroken super.ivy-rtags;
 
       # upstream issue: missing file header
       jsfmt = markBroken super.jsfmt;
 
-      # upstream issue: missing file header
-      link = markBroken super.link;
-
       # upstream issue: missing file header
       maxframe = markBroken super.maxframe;
 
@@ -131,6 +134,18 @@ self:
             (attrs.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [ external.git ];
         });
 
+      magit-annex = super.magit-annex.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        # searches for Git at build time
+        nativeBuildInputs =
+          (attrs.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [ external.git ];
+      });
+
+      magit-gitflow = super.magit-gitflow.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        # searches for Git at build time
+        nativeBuildInputs =
+          (attrs.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [ external.git ];
+      });
+
       # missing OCaml
       merlin = markBroken super.merlin;
 
@@ -154,8 +169,10 @@ self:
             (attrs.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [ external.git ];
          }));
 
-      # upstream issue: truncated file
-      powershell = markBroken super.powershell;
+      # tries to write to $HOME
+      php-auto-yasnippets = super.php-auto-yasnippets.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
+        HOME = "/tmp";
+      });
 
       # upstream issue: mismatched filename
       processing-snippets = markBroken super.processing-snippets;