diff --git a/src/makefrag b/src/makefrag
index 1a6a24db8d9..b3e1d04e8c8 100644
--- a/src/makefrag
+++ b/src/makefrag
@@ -80,11 +80,15 @@ endif
 WITH_Z3 := $(shell (cd .. && $(FEATURETOOL) -q isenabled Z3GateSchedulingConfigurator && echo enabled) )
 ifeq ($(WITH_Z3), enabled)
   ifeq ($(HAVE_PKGCFG), yes)
-    HAVE_Z3 := $(shell $(PKGCFG) --exists z3 && echo yes || echo no)
+    HAVE_Z3 := $(shell $(PKGCFG) --exists z3 && echo yes)
     ifeq ($(HAVE_Z3), yes)
-      LIBS += $(shell $(PKGCFG) --libs z3)
-      CFLAGS += $(shell $(PKGCFG) --cflags z3) -DHAVE_Z3
+      Z3_LIBS := $(shell $(PKGCFG) --libs z3)
+      Z3_CFLAGS := $(shell $(PKGCFG) --cflags z3)
+    else
+      Z3_LIBS := -lz3     # default in case pkg-config doesn't have z3 in its database (such as in NIX)
     endif
+    LIBS += $(Z3_LIBS)
+    CFLAGS += $(Z3_CFLAGS) -DHAVE_Z3
   endif
 endif