diff --git a/pkgs/servers/sql/postgresql/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/sql/postgresql/default.nix
index e10fc52e68b..aeab9f8332f 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/sql/postgresql/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/sql/postgresql/default.nix
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ let
 
     NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = [ "-I${libxml2.dev}/include/libxml2" ];
 
+    # Otherwise it retains a reference to compiler and fails; see #44767.  TODO: better.
+    preConfigure = "CC=cc";
+
     configureFlags = [
       "--with-openssl"
       "--with-libxml"