diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libre/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libre/default.nix
index 9ddebe5b6b0..bfcdb2d5287 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libre/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libre/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, zlib, openssl }:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, zlib, openssl
+, cmake }:
+
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   version = "2.9.0";
   pname = "libre";
@@ -9,6 +11,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "sha256-YNAfHmohMqGGF8N/VdndJJ32PF/GMBoNtjo/t2lt6HA=";
   };
   buildInputs = [ zlib openssl ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cmake ];
   makeFlags = [ "USE_ZLIB=1" "USE_OPENSSL=1" "PREFIX=$(out)" ]
     ++ lib.optional (stdenv.cc.cc != null) "SYSROOT_ALT=${stdenv.cc.cc}"
     ++ lib.optional (stdenv.cc.libc != null) "SYSROOT=${lib.getDev stdenv.cc.libc}"
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/librem/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/librem/default.nix
index 14641ad6672..2e9a2f1fa31 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/librem/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/librem/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, zlib, openssl, libre }:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, zlib, openssl, libre
+, cmake }:
+
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   version = "2.10.0";
   pname = "librem";
@@ -8,10 +10,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     rev = "v${version}";
     sha256 = "sha256-wyzpx0WjQLA8UKx4S6QOETMehf51Af5napZsxMXttmM=";
   };
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ cmake ];
   buildInputs = [ zlib openssl libre ];
+  cmakeFlags = [
+    "-DRE_INCLUDE_DIR=${libre}/include/re"
+  ];
   makeFlags = [
     "LIBRE_MK=${libre}/share/re/re.mk"
-    "LIBRE_INC=${libre}/include/re"
     "PREFIX=$(out)"
   ]
   ++ lib.optional (stdenv.cc.cc != null) "SYSROOT_ALT=${lib.getDev stdenv.cc.cc}"