diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/sumneko-lua-language-server/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/sumneko-lua-language-server/default.nix
index ad20c18aa8c3..4b5c85a6cf8b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/sumneko-lua-language-server/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/sumneko-lua-language-server/default.nix
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     makeWrapper "$out"/share/lua-language-server/bin/lua-language-server \
       $out/bin/lua-language-server \
       --add-flags "-E $out/share/lua-language-server/main.lua \
-      --logpath='\$XDG_CACHE_HOME/sumneko_lua/log' \
-      --metapath='\$XDG_CACHE_HOME/sumneko_lua/meta'"
+      --logpath=\''${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-\$HOME/.cache}/sumneko_lua/log \
+      --metapath=\''${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-\$HOME/.cache}/sumneko_lua/meta"
 
     runHook postInstall
   '';