diff --git a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
index dbdc270fbe15..a35de21d3891 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/overrides.nix
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ in
   };
 
   mkfontdir = attrs: attrs // {
-    preBuild = "substituteInPlace mkfontdir.cpp --replace BINDIR ${xorg.mkfontscale}/bin";
+    preBuild = "substituteInPlace mkfontdir.in --replace @bindir@ ${xorg.mkfontscale}/bin";
   };
 
   libxcb = attrs : attrs // {