diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/ed/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/ed/default.nix
index b7b70eb501e..af6c8f7c6f8 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/ed/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/ed/default.nix
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, lzip
-}:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, lzip }:
 
 # Note: this package is used for bootstrapping fetchurl, and thus
 # cannot use fetchpatch! All mutable patches (generated by GitHub or
 # cgit) that are needed here should be included directly in Nixpkgs as
 # files.
 
-stdenv.mkDerivation (rec {
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "ed";
   version = "1.19";
 
@@ -17,11 +16,14 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ lzip ];
 
-  doCheck = true; # not cross;
+  configureFlags = [
+    "CC=${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}cc"
+  ];
+
+  doCheck = true;
 
   meta = {
     description = "An implementation of the standard Unix editor";
-
     longDescription = ''
       GNU ed is a line-oriented text editor.  It is used to create,
       display, modify and otherwise manipulate text files, both
@@ -32,17 +34,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (rec {
       available.  For most purposes, however, it is superseded by
       full-screen editors such as GNU Emacs or GNU Moe.
     '';
-
     license = lib.licenses.gpl3Plus;
-
     homepage = "https://www.gnu.org/software/ed/";
-
     maintainers = [ ];
     platforms = lib.platforms.unix;
   };
-} // lib.optionalAttrs (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) {
-  # This may be moved above during a stdenv rebuild.
-  preConfigure = ''
-    configureFlagsArray+=("CC=$CC")
-  '';
-})
+}