diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
index e06faed30a1e..8fd58c3cbe91 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ rec {
   # * https://nixos.org/nix/manual/#ssec-derivation
   #   Explanation about derivations in general
   mkDerivation =
-    { name ? ""
+    { name ? if builtins.hasAttr "pname" attrs && builtins.hasAttr "version" attrs
+        then "${attrs.pname}-${attrs.version}"
+        else ""
 
     # These types of dependencies are all exhaustively documented in
     # the "Specifying Dependencies" section of the "Standard