diff --git a/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/default.nix
index 485df4231ecf..d0bb370396a9 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/default.nix
@@ -1,22 +1,21 @@
-{ fetchurl, lib, stdenv, guile, which, ed, libtool }:
+{ fetchurl, lib, stdenv, guile, pkg-config }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "mcron";
-  version = "1.0.6";
+  version = "1.2.1";
 
   src = fetchurl {
     url = "mirror://gnu/mcron/mcron-${version}.tar.gz";
-    sha256 = "0yvrfzzdy2m7fbqkr61fw01wd9r2jpnbyabxhcsfivgxywknl0fy";
+    sha256 = "0bkn235g2ia4f7ispr9d55c7bc18282r3qd8ldhh5q2kiin75zi0";
   };
 
-  patches = [ ./install-vixie-programs.patch ];
-
   # don't attempt to chmod +s files in the nix store
   postPatch = ''
-    substituteInPlace makefile.in --replace "rwxs" "rwx"
+    sed -E -i '/chmod u\+s/d' Makefile.in
   '';
 
-  buildInputs = [ guile which ed libtool ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ pkg-config ];
+  buildInputs = [ guile ];
 
   doCheck = true;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/install-vixie-programs.patch b/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/install-vixie-programs.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index d268ecb4a0ab..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/tools/system/mcron/install-vixie-programs.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-This patch allows us to install the Vixie-compatible binaries as
-non-root without creating /var/run, etc.
-
---- mcron-1.0.6/makefile.in	2010-06-19 20:44:17.000000000 +0200
-+++ mcron-1.0.6/makefile.in	2010-07-04 16:16:25.000000000 +0200
-@@ -1004,15 +1004,11 @@ mcron.c : main.scm crontab.scm makefile.
- 	@rm -f mcron.escaped.scm > /dev/null 2>&1
- 
- install-exec-hook:
--	@if [ "x@NO_VIXIE_CLOBBER@" != "xyes"   -a   "`id -u`" -eq "0" ]; then \
-+	@if [ "x@NO_VIXIE_CLOBBER@" != "xyes" ]; then \
-        rm -f $(fpp)cron$(EXEEXT) > /dev/null 2>&1; \
-        $(INSTALL) --mode='u=rwx' mcron$(EXEEXT) $(fpp)cron$(EXEEXT); \
-        rm -f $(fpp)crontab$(EXEEXT) > /dev/null 2>&1; \
-        $(INSTALL) --mode='u=rwxs,og=rx' mcron$(EXEEXT) $(fpp)crontab$(EXEEXT); \
--       $(INSTALL) -d --mode='u=rwx' $(DESTDIR)/var/cron; \
--       $(INSTALL) -d --mode='u=rwx,og=rx' $(DESTDIR)/var/run; \
--       $(INSTALL) -d --mode='u=rwx,og=rx' $(DESTDIR)@GUILE_SITE@; \
--       $(INSTALL) -d --mode='u=rwx,og=rx' $(DESTDIR)@GUILE_SITE@/mcron; \
-     elif [ "x@NO_VIXIE_CLOBBER@" = "xyes" ]; then \
-        echo "Not installing Vixie-style programs"; \
-     else \
-
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 7d26edc55b5d..dd7a04afc0d1 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -9509,9 +9509,7 @@ with pkgs;
 
   mcabber = callPackage ../applications/networking/instant-messengers/mcabber { };
 
-  mcron = callPackage ../tools/system/mcron {
-    guile = guile_1_8;
-  };
+  mcron = callPackage ../tools/system/mcron { };
 
   mcstatus = with python3Packages; toPythonApplication mcstatus;