diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/lua-5/interpreter.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/lua-5/interpreter.nix
index 35a074add09795..9cad009d4266af 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/lua-5/interpreter.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/lua-5/interpreter.nix
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ self = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   configurePhase = ''
     runHook preConfigure
 
-    makeFlagsArray+=(CFLAGS="-DLUA_USE_LINUX -O2 -fPIC${if compat then " -DLUA_COMPAT_ALL" else ""}" )
+    makeFlagsArray+=(CFLAGS='-O2 -fPIC${lib.optionalString compat " -DLUA_COMPAT_ALL"} $(SYSCFLAGS)' )
     makeFlagsArray+=(${lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin "CC=\"$CC\""}${lib.optionalString (stdenv.buildPlatform != stdenv.hostPlatform) " 'AR=${stdenv.hostPlatform.config}-ar rcu'"})
 
     installFlagsArray=( TO_BIN="lua luac" INSTALL_DATA='cp -d' \