diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
index f57c1b71b13d..d80d680aaa1f 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-modes/melpa-packages.nix
@@ -131,20 +131,20 @@ env NIXPKGS_ALLOW_BROKEN=1 nix-instantiate --show-trace ../../../../ -A emacsPac
         # upstream issue: missing file header
         initsplit = markBroken super.initsplit;
 
-        irony = super.irony.overrideAttrs(old: {
+        irony = super.irony.overrideAttrs (old: {
+          cmakeFlags = old.cmakeFlags or [] ++ [ "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR=bin" ];
           preConfigure = ''
             cd server
           '';
           preBuild = ''
             make
+            install -D bin/irony-server $out/bin/irony-server
+            cd ..
           '';
-          postInstall = ''
-            mkdir -p $out
-            mv $out/share/emacs/site-lisp/elpa/*/server/bin $out
-            rm -rf $out/share/emacs/site-lisp/elpa/*/server
-          '';
-          preCheck = ''
+          checkPhase = ''
             cd source/server
+            make check
+            cd ../..
           '';
           dontUseCmakeBuildDir = true;
           doCheck = true;
@@ -396,13 +396,6 @@ env NIXPKGS_ALLOW_BROKEN=1 nix-instantiate --show-trace ../../../../ -A emacsPac
         # Expects bash to be at /bin/bash
         helm-rtags = markBroken super.helm-rtags;
 
-        # Fails with "package does not untar cleanly into ..."
-        irony = shared.irony.overrideAttrs(old: {
-          meta = old.meta // {
-            broken = true;
-          };
-        });
-
         orgit =
           (super.orgit.overrideAttrs (attrs: {
             # searches for Git at build time