diff --git a/pkgs/servers/varnish/modules.nix b/pkgs/servers/varnish/modules.nix
index c37fae4ba3d2..8327b2ca5166 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/varnish/modules.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/varnish/modules.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, pkgconfig, varnish, python, docutils }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, pkgconfig, varnish, python, docutils, removeReferencesTo }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   version = "0.10.2";
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "0inw76pm8kcidh0lq7gm3c3bh8v6yps0z7j6ar617b8wf730w1im";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig docutils ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig docutils removeReferencesTo ];
   buildInputs = [ varnish python ];
 
+  postInstall = "find $out -type f -exec remove-references-to -t ${varnish.dev} '{}' +"; # varnish.dev captured only as __FILE__ in assert messages
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "Collection of Varnish Cache modules (vmods) by Varnish Software";
     homepage = https://github.com/varnish/varnish-modules;