diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/db/db-4.5.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/db/db-4.5.nix
index b1e4b2c4708..6d3b15d256e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/db/db-4.5.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/db/db-4.5.nix
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ import ./generic.nix (args // rec {
   extraPatches = [ ./cygwin-4.5.patch ./register-race-fix.patch ];
   sha256 = "0bd81k0qv5i8w5gbddrvld45xi9k1gvmcrfm0393v0lrm37dab7m";
   branch = "4.5";
+  drvArgs = { hardening_format = false; };
 })