diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 11a817a2..6e220b56 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L$nix/lib"
 
 AC_CHECK_HEADER([store-api.hh], [:],
   [AC_MSG_ERROR([Nix headers not found; please install Nix or check the `--with-nix' option.])])
-AC_CHECK_LIB([nixexpr], [_ZN3nix9EvalState8evalFileERKSsRNS_5ValueE], [:],
+AC_CHECK_LIB([nixexpr], [_ZN3nix9EvalStateC1ERKSt4listISsSaISsEE], [:],
   [AC_MSG_ERROR([Nix library not found; please install Nix or check the `--with-nix' option.])])
 
 CPPFLAGS="$old_CPPFLAGS"
diff --git a/src/c/hydra-eval-jobs.cc b/src/c/hydra-eval-jobs.cc
index 21ca3917..8ade484f 100644
--- a/src/c/hydra-eval-jobs.cc
+++ b/src/c/hydra-eval-jobs.cc
@@ -233,7 +233,16 @@ void run(Strings args)
        $NIX_PATH. */
     unsetenv("NIX_PATH");
 
-    EvalState state;
+    /* FIXME: hack */
+    Strings searchPath;
+    Strings args2;
+    for (Strings::iterator i = args.begin(); i != args.end(); ) {
+        string arg = *i++;
+        if (!parseSearchPathArg(arg, i, args.end(), searchPath))
+            args2.push_back(arg);
+    }
+    args = args2;
+    EvalState state(searchPath);
     Path releaseExpr;
     AutoArgs autoArgs;
 
@@ -259,8 +268,6 @@ void run(Strings args)
             if (i == args.end()) throw UsageError("missing argument");
             gcRootsDir = *i++;
         }
-        else if (parseSearchPathArg(arg, i, args.end(), state))
-            ;
         else if (arg[0] == '-')
             throw UsageError(format("unknown flag `%1%'") % arg);
         else