diff --git a/pkgs/applications/graphics/openimageio/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/graphics/openimageio/default.nix
index de37482d51e..6bffa834ae0 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/graphics/openimageio/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/graphics/openimageio/default.nix
@@ -20,9 +20,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "-DUSE_PYTHON=OFF"
   ];
 
-  buildPhase = ''
-    make ILMBASE_HOME=${ilmbase} OPENEXR_HOME=${openexr} USE_PYTHON=0 \
-      INSTALLDIR=$out dist_dir=
+  preBuild = ''
+    makeFlags="ILMBASE_HOME=${ilmbase} OPENEXR_HOME=${openexr} USE_PYTHON=0
+      INSTALLDIR=$out dist_dir="
   '';
 
   enableParallelBuilding = true;