diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/directfb/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/directfb/default.nix
index 1b0b50d28f00..0a06881b5806 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/directfb/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/directfb/default.nix
@@ -48,6 +48,17 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "--with-smooth-scaling"
   ] ++ lib.optional enableX11 "--enable-x11";
 
+  # Disable parallel building as parallel builds fail due to incomplete
+  # depends between autogenerated CoreSlave.h and it's include sites:
+  #    CC       prealloc_surface_pool_bridge.lo
+  #    prealloc_surface_pool_bridge.c:41:10:
+  #        fatal error: core/CoreSlave.h: No such file or directory
+  #
+  # Dependencies are specified manually in src/core/Makefile.am. Instead
+  # of fixing them one by one locally let's disable parallel builds until
+  # upstream fixes them.
+  enableParallelBuilding = false;
+
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Graphics and input library designed with embedded systems in mind";
     longDescription = ''