diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/cairo/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/cairo/default.nix
index 4d0283586c2..aef5ed1d4f5 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/cairo/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/cairo/default.nix
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   configureFlags =
     (if pdfSupport then ["--enable-pdf"] else []);
 
+  preConfigure = ''
+    # Work around broken `Requires.private' that prevents Freetype
+    # `-I' flags to be propagated.
+    sed -i "src/cairo.pc.in" \
+        -es'|^Cflags:\(.*\)$|Cflags: \1 -I${freetype}/include/freetype2 -I${freetype}/include|g'
+  '';
+
   meta = {
     description = "A 2D graphics library with support for multiple output devices";