diff --git a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/tex4ht/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/tex4ht/default.nix
index 9790c8a5faca..eacd0316b464 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/tex4ht/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/tex4ht/default.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     cd src
     for f in tex4ht t4ht htcmd ; do
       # -DENVFILE="$out/share/texmf-nix/tex4ht/base/unix/tex4ht.env"
-      $CC -o $f $f.c -I${tetex}/include -L${tetex}/lib  -DHAVE_DIRENT_H -DHAVE_DIRENT_H -DKPATHSEA -lkpathsea
+      ''${CC:-gcc} -o $f $f.c -I${tetex}/include -L${tetex}/lib  -DHAVE_DIRENT_H -DHAVE_DIRENT_H -DKPATHSEA -lkpathsea
     done
     cd -
   '';