diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/indent/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/indent/default.nix
index c7588e2d028d..b6b9cdd305c5 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/indent/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/indent/default.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   makeFlags = [ "AR=${stdenv.cc.targetPrefix}ar" ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ texinfo ];
-  pkgsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ];
+  pkgsBuildBuild = [ buildPackages.stdenv.cc ]; # needed when cross-compiling
 
   NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = lib.optionalString stdenv.cc.isClang
     "-Wno-implicit-function-declaration";