diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libindicator/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libindicator/default.nix
index 1ebdcb365afc..67936fecdf4e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libindicator/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libindicator/default.nix
@@ -22,8 +22,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   postPatch = ''
     substituteInPlace configure \
       --replace 'LIBINDICATOR_LIBS+="$LIBM"' 'LIBINDICATOR_LIBS+=" $LIBM"'
-    substituteInPlace {build-aux/ltmain.sh,configure,m4/libtool.m4} \
-      --replace /usr/bin/file ${file}/bin/file
+    for f in {build-aux/ltmain.sh,configure,m4/libtool.m4}; do
+      substituteInPlace $f\
+        --replace /usr/bin/file ${file}/bin/file
+    done
   '';
 
   configureFlags = [