diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/pypy/2.3/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/pypy/2.3/default.nix
index ba0fb6f111a..abf12a66ed8 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/pypy/2.3/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/pypy/2.3/default.nix
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ let
         --replace "linklibs=['tcl', 'tk']" "linklibs=['tcl8.5', 'tk8.5']" \
         --replace "libdirs = []" "libdirs = ['${tk}/lib', '${tcl}/lib']"
 
-      substituteInPlace lib_pypy/_sqlite3.py \
-        --replace "libraries=['sqlite3']" "libraries=['sqlite3'], include_dirs=['${sqlite}/include'], library_dirs=['${sqlite}/lib']"
+      sed -i "s@libraries=\['sqlite3'\]\$@libraries=['sqlite3'], include_dirs=['${sqlite}/include'], library_dirs=['${sqlite}/lib']@" lib_pypy/_sqlite3.py
     '';
 
     setupHook = ./setup-hook.sh;