diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
index 55654586eddf..2f8cf1be03fc 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/blas/default.nix
@@ -32,10 +32,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     echo >>make.inc "RANLIB = ranlib"
     make
   '';
- 
-  installPhase = ''
-    install -D -m755 libblas.a "$out/lib/libblas.a"
-    install -D -m755 libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so.3.0.3"
+
+  installPhase =
+    # FreeBSD's stdenv doesn't use Coreutils.
+    let dashD = if stdenv.isFreeBSD then "-d" else "-D"; in ''
+    install ${dashD} -m755 libblas.a "$out/lib/libblas.a"
+    install ${dashD} -m755 libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so.3.0.3"
     ln -s libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so.3"
     ln -s libblas.so.3.0.3 "$out/lib/libblas.so"
   '';