diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/literate-programming/nuweb/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/literate-programming/nuweb/default.nix
index 37deaacb216c..72dc1ba21865 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/literate-programming/nuweb/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/literate-programming/nuweb/default.nix
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   patchPhase = ''
     sed -ie 's|nuweb -r|./nuweb -r|' Makefile
   '';
+
+  # Workaround build failure on -fno-common toolchains like upstream
+  # gcc-10. Otherwise build fails as:
+  #   ld: global.o:/build/nuweb-1.60/global.h:91: multiple definition of
+  #     `current_sector'; main.o:/build/nuweb-1.60/global.h:91: first defined here
+  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-fcommon";
+
   buildPhase = ''
     make nuweb
     make nuweb.pdf nuwebdoc.pdf all