diff --git a/pkgs/tools/X11/xvkbd/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/X11/xvkbd/default.nix
index d751cb8f087..32355205d59 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/X11/xvkbd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/X11/xvkbd/default.nix
@@ -1,25 +1,28 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, imake, libXt, libXaw, libXtst
-, libXi, libXpm, xorgproto, gccmakedep, Xaw3d }:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, libXt, libXaw, libXtst
+, libXi, libXpm, pkg-config, xorgproto, Xaw3d }:
 
-stdenv.mkDerivation {
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "xvkbd";
-  version = "3.9";
+  version = "4.1";
   src = fetchurl {
-    url = "http://t-sato.in.coocan.jp/xvkbd/xvkbd-3.9.tar.gz";
-    sha256 = "17csj6x5zm3g67izfwhagkal1rbqzpw09lqmmlyrjy3vzgfkf75q";
+    url = "http://t-sato.in.coocan.jp/xvkbd/xvkbd-${version}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "1x5yldv9y99cw5hzzs73ygdn1z80zns9hz0baa355r711zghfbcm";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ imake gccmakedep ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ pkg-config ] ;
   buildInputs = [ libXt libXaw libXtst xorgproto libXi Xaw3d libXpm ];
-  installTargets = [ "install" "install.man" ];
+
   makeFlags = [
-    "BINDIR=${placeholder "out"}/bin"
-    "CONFDIR=${placeholder "out"}/etc/X11"
-    "LIBDIR=${placeholder "out"}/lib/X11"
-    "XAPPLOADDIR=${placeholder "out"}/etc/X11/app-defaults"
-    "MANPATH=${placeholder "out"}/man"
+    # avoid default libXt location
+    "appdefaultdir=${placeholder "out"}/share/X11/app-defaults"
+    "datarootdir=${placeholder "out"}/share"
   ];
 
+  preInstall = ''
+    # workaround absence of libXt in $DESTDIR location.
+    mkdir -p $out/share/X11
+  '';
+
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Virtual keyboard for X window system";
     longDescription = ''