diff --git a/pkgs/applications/version-management/cvs-fast-export/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/version-management/cvs-fast-export/default.nix
index 15035a345d4e..62a58ee985c0 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/version-management/cvs-fast-export/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/version-management/cvs-fast-export/default.nix
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ mkDerivation rec {
   preBuild = ''
     makeFlagsArray=(
       XML_CATALOG_FILES="${docbook_xml_dtd_45}/xml/dtd/docbook/catalog.xml ${docbook_xml_xslt}/xml/xsl/docbook/catalog.xml"
+      LIBS=""
       prefix="$out"
     )
   '';