diff --git a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
index 1e891092f7c..f6285c364e7 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ self: super:
     x11BuildHook = ./imake.sh;
     patches = [./imake.patch ./imake-cc-wrapper-uberhack.patch];
     setupHook = ./imake-setup-hook.sh;
-    CFLAGS = [ ''-DIMAKE_COMPILETIME_CPP='"${if stdenv.isDarwin
+    CFLAGS = "-DIMAKE_COMPILETIME_CPP='\"${if stdenv.isDarwin
       then "${tradcpp}/bin/cpp"
-      else "gcc"}"' ''
-    ];
+      else "gcc"}\"'";
+
     inherit tradcpp;
   });
 
@@ -123,9 +123,7 @@ self: super:
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" ];
     propagatedBuildInputs = [ freetype ]; # propagate link reqs. like bzip2
     # prevents "misaligned_stack_error_entering_dyld_stub_binder"
-    configureFlags = lib.optionals isDarwin [
-      "CFLAGS=-O0"
-    ];
+    configureFlags = lib.optional isDarwin "CFLAGS=-O0";
   });
 
   libXxf86vm = super.libXxf86vm.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
@@ -207,9 +205,8 @@ self: super:
   libXi = super.libXi.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" "man" "doc" ];
     propagatedBuildInputs = [ self.libXfixes ];
-    configureFlags = stdenv.lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [
-      "xorg_cv_malloc0_returns_null=no"
-    ];
+    configureFlags = stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform)
+      "xorg_cv_malloc0_returns_null=no";
   });
 
   libXinerama = super.libXinerama.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
@@ -220,7 +217,7 @@ self: super:
 
   libXmu = super.libXmu.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" "doc" ];
-    buildFlags = ''BITMAP_DEFINES=-DBITMAPDIR=\"/no-such-path\"'';
+    buildFlags = [ "BITMAP_DEFINES='-DBITMAPDIR=\"/no-such-path\"'" ];
   });
 
   libXrandr = super.libXrandr.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
@@ -342,32 +339,43 @@ self: super:
   xf86inputevdev = super.xf86inputevdev.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" ]; # to get rid of xorgserver.dev; man is tiny
     preBuild = "sed -e '/motion_history_proc/d; /history_size/d;' -i src/*.c";
-    installFlags = "sdkdir=\${out}/include/xorg";
+    installFlags = [
+      "sdkdir=${placeholder ''out''}/include/xorg"
+    ];
   });
 
   xf86inputmouse = super.xf86inputmouse.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-    installFlags = "sdkdir=\${out}/include/xorg";
+    installFlags = [
+      "sdkdir=${placeholder ''out''}/include/xorg"
+    ];
   });
 
   xf86inputjoystick = super.xf86inputjoystick.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
-    installFlags = "sdkdir=\${out}/include/xorg";
+    installFlags = [
+      "sdkdir=${placeholder ''out''}/include/xorg"
+    ];
   });
 
   xf86inputlibinput = super.xf86inputlibinput.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" ];
-    installFlags = "sdkdir=\${dev}/include/xorg";
+    installFlags = [
+      "sdkdir=${placeholder ''dev''}/include/xorg"
+    ];
   });
 
   xf86inputsynaptics = super.xf86inputsynaptics.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     outputs = [ "out" "dev" ]; # *.pc pulls xorgserver.dev
-    installFlags = "sdkdir=\${out}/include/xorg configdir=\${out}/share/X11/xorg.conf.d";
+    installFlags = [
+      "sdkdir=${placeholder ''out''}/include/xorg"
+      "configdir=${placeholder ''out''}/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
+    ];
   });
 
   xf86inputvmmouse = super.xf86inputvmmouse.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
     configureFlags = [
-      "--sysconfdir=$(out)/etc"
-      "--with-xorg-conf-dir=$(out)/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
-      "--with-udev-rules-dir=$(out)/lib/udev/rules.d"
+      "--sysconfdir=${placeholder ''out''}/etc"
+      "--with-xorg-conf-dir=${placeholder ''out''}/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
+      "--with-udev-rules-dir=${placeholder ''out''}/lib/udev/rules.d"
     ];
 
     meta = attrs.meta // {