diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
index 40e139ff5b5..c34701e3f91 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   installPhase = ''
     runHook preInstall
-    install -d datafiles "$out/share/sympow/datafiles"
+    install -D datafiles/* --target-directory "$out/share/sympow/datafiles/"
     install *.gp "$out/share/sympow/"
     install -Dm755 sympow "$out/share/sympow/sympow"
     install -D new_data "$out/bin/new_data"