diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/analysis/spin/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/analysis/spin/default.nix
index f2a48cc09339..cedd9584414f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/analysis/spin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/analysis/spin/default.nix
@@ -8,9 +8,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     sha256 = "03c6bmar4z13jx7dddb029f0qnmgl8x4hyfwn3qijjyd4dbliiw6";
   };
 
-  preConfigure = "cd Src*";
   buildInputs = [ flex yacc tk ];
 
+  patchPhase = ''
+    cd Src*
+    sed -i -e 's/-DNXT/-DNXT -DCPP="\\"gcc -E -x c\\""/' makefile
+  '';
   installPhase = ''
     ensureDir $out/bin
     cp ../Xspin*/xsp* $out/bin/xspin