diff --git a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/configuration-nix.nix b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/configuration-nix.nix
index 36f5f28f2f81..83ed62c7de06 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/configuration-nix.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/configuration-nix.nix
@@ -489,4 +489,7 @@ self: super: builtins.intersectAttrs super {
   # Without this override, the builds lacks pkg-config.
   opencv-extra = addPkgconfigDepend super.opencv-extra (pkgs.opencv3.override { enableContrib = true; });
 
+  # Alex has some weird files in /usr/share that create a cyclic ref with
+  # its bin dir.
+  alex = hasNoBinOutput super.alex;
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/lib.nix b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/lib.nix
index 518c3c82e6cd..fbfd5ae6b94a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/lib.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/lib.nix
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ rec {
   overrideSrc = drv: { src, version ? drv.version }:
     overrideCabal drv (_: { inherit src version; editedCabalFile = null; });
 
+  hasNoBinOutput = drv: overrideCabal drv (drv: { enableSeparateBinOutput = false; });
+
   installOutputs = drv: outputs: overrideCabal drv
     (drv: { outputsToInstall = outputs; });
 }