diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 6cb583710071..103cfaf0e997 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -5487,6 +5487,15 @@ let
   emacs = emacs23;
 
   emacs22 = callPackage ../applications/editors/emacs-22 {
+    /* Using cpp 4.5, we get:
+
+         make[1]: Entering directory `/tmp/nix-build-dhbj8qqmqxwp3iw6sjcgafsrwlwrix1f-emacs-22.3.drv-0/emacs-22.3/lib-src'
+         Makefile:148: *** recipe commences before first target.  Stop.
+
+       Apparently, this is because `lib-src/Makefile' is generated by
+       processing `lib-src/Makefile.in' with cpp, and the escaping rules for
+       literal backslashes have changed.  */
+    stdenv = overrideGCC stdenv gcc44;
     xaw3dSupport = getPkgConfig "emacs" "xaw3dSupport" false;
     gtkGUI = getPkgConfig "emacs" "gtkSupport" true;
   };