diff --git a/pkgs/additional/gpodder-adaptive/default.nix b/pkgs/additional/gpodder-adaptive/default.nix
index b4fc70cf..01409438 100644
--- a/pkgs/additional/gpodder-adaptive/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/additional/gpodder-adaptive/default.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,21 @@ gpodder.overridePythonAttrs (upstream: rec {
     hash = "sha256-pn5sh8CLV2Civ26PL3rrkkUdoobu7SIHXmWKCZucBhw=";
   };
 
+  # nixpkgs `gpodder` uses the `format = "other"` Makefile build flow.
+  # upstream specifies a Makefile, and it's just `setup.py` calls plus a few other deps.
+  # however, it calls the build Python, which breaks for cross compilation.
+  # nixpkgs knows how to cross-compile setuptools formats, so use that and only mimic the
+  # parts of the Makefile that aren't part of that.
+  # TODO: upstream this into main nixpkgs `gpodder` package.
+  format = "setuptools";
+  preBuild = ''
+    make \
+      "PREFIX=$(out)" \
+      "share/applications/gpodder-url-handler.desktop" \
+      "share/applications/gpodder.desktop" \
+      "share/dbus-1/services/org.gpodder.service"
+  '';
+
   buildInputs = upstream.buildInputs ++ [
     libhandy
   ];