diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/scanbd/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/graphics/scanbd/default.nix
index 2f2d0523469e..3f2331a0de04 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/graphics/scanbd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/graphics/scanbd/default.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "--enable-udev"
     "--with-scanbdconfdir=/etc/scanbd"
     "--with-systemdsystemunitdir=$out/lib/systemd/system"
+  ] ++ lib.optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [
+    # AC_FUNC_MALLOC is broken on cross builds.
+    "ac_cv_func_malloc_0_nonnull=yes"
+    "ac_cv_func_realloc_0_nonnull=yes"
   ];
 
   enableParallelBuilding = true;