diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-crate/build-crate.nix b/pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-crate/build-crate.nix
index df3129d536d..9a50633a58e 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-crate/build-crate.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-crate/build-crate.nix
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@
         "--remap-path-prefix=$NIX_BUILD_TOP=/"
         (mkRustcDepArgs dependencies crateRenames)
         (mkRustcFeatureArgs crateFeatures)
+      ] ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [
+        "--target" (rust.toRustTargetSpec stdenv.hostPlatform)
+        "-C" "linker=${stdenv.hostPlatform.config}-ld"
       ] ++ extraRustcOpts
-      ++ lib.optional (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) "--target ${rust.toRustTargetSpec stdenv.hostPlatform} -C linker=${stdenv.hostPlatform.config}-gcc"
       # since rustc 1.42 the "proc_macro" crate is part of the default crate prelude
       # https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/commit/4d64eb99a4#diff-7f98585dbf9d30aa100c8318e2c77e79R1021-R1022
       ++ lib.optional (lib.elem "proc-macro" crateType) "--extern proc_macro"