diff --git a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/hoogle.nix b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/hoogle.nix
index c7fbab6ab88..0bb930a8bb3 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/hoogle.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/hoogle.nix
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "hoogle-local-0.1";
   buildInputs = [ghc hoogle];
 
-  phases = [ "buildPhase" ];
-
   inherit docPackages;
 
-  buildPhase = ''
+  passAsFile = ["buildCommand"];
+
+  buildCommand = ''
     ${lib.optionalString (packages != [] -> docPackages == [])
        ("echo WARNING: localHoogle package list empty, even though"
        + " the following were specified: "