diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/pugixml/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/pugixml/default.nix
index d9b04781ba1..8b070671fe4 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/pugixml/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/pugixml/default.nix
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   # Hack to be able to run the test, broken because we use
   # CMAKE_SKIP_BUILD_RPATH to avoid cmake resetting rpath on install
-  preBuild = if stdenv.isDarwin then ''
-    export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="`pwd`''${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:}$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+  preCheck = if stdenv.isDarwin then ''
+    export DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH="$(pwd)''${DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:}$DYLD_LIBRARY_PATH"
   '' else ''
-    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="`pwd`''${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:}$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="$(pwd)''${LD_LIBRARY_PATH:+:}$LD_LIBRARY_PATH"
   '';
 
   preConfigure = ''