diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/dee/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/dee/default.nix
index f0f31ae1ffc..04ecadadefa 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/dee/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/dee/default.nix
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 , icu
 , gobject-introspection
 , dbus-glib
-, vala
+, vala_0_40
 , python3
 , autoreconfHook
 }:
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     pkgconfig
-    vala
+    # https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/vala/issues/803
+    vala_0_40
     autoreconfHook
     gobject-introspection
     python3