diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/grub/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/grub/default.nix
index 27702a6ba4a..5fc189a4de1 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/grub/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/grub/default.nix
@@ -149,6 +149,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       substituteInPlace ./configure --replace '/usr/share/fonts/unifont' '${unifont}/share/fonts'
     '';
 
+  postConfigure = ''
+    # make sure .po files are up to date to workaround
+    # parallel `msgmerge --update` on autogenerated .po files:
+    #   https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/248747#issuecomment-1676301670
+    make dist
+  '';
+
   configureFlags = [
     "--enable-grub-mount" # dep of os-prober
   ] ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [