diff --git a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
index f16a6d0bb4a..b239c32a890 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
@@ -783,7 +783,9 @@ let
     });
 
     RMySQL = old.RMySQL.overrideDerivation (attrs: {
-      MYSQL_DIR="${pkgs.libmysqlclient}";
+      MYSQL_DIR = "${pkgs.libmysqlclient}";
+      PKGCONFIG_CFLAGS = "-I${pkgs.libmysqlclient.dev}/include/mysql";
+      NIX_CFLAGS_LINK = "-L${pkgs.libmysqlclient}/lib/mysql -lmysqlclient";
       preConfigure = ''
         patchShebangs configure
       '';