diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-back/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-back/package.nix
index c36e773621bc..3ba7512c4b67 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-back/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-back/package.nix
@@ -5,9 +5,7 @@
   cairo,
   fontconfig,
   freetype,
-  gnustep-base,
   gnustep-gui,
-  gnustep-make,
   libXft,
   libXmu,
   pkg-config,
@@ -24,7 +22,6 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   };
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
     pkg-config
     wrapGNUstepAppsHook
   ];
@@ -33,12 +30,12 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     cairo
     fontconfig
     freetype
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
     libXft
     libXmu
   ];
 
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ gnustep-gui ];
+
   meta = {
     description = "Generic backend for GNUstep";
     mainProgram = "gpbs";
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-base/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-base/package.nix
index 7ce14203aad5..e46150706bf0 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-base/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-base/package.nix
@@ -43,11 +43,14 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
     pkg-config
     wrapGNUstepAppsHook
   ];
 
+  propagatedNativeBuildInputs = [
+    gnustep-make
+  ];
+
   propagatedBuildInputs = [
     aspell
     audiofile
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-gui/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-gui/package.nix
index a4a7208b94e7..560daf72581f 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-gui/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-gui/package.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
   clangStdenv,
   fetchzip,
   gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-make,
   wrapGNUstepAppsHook,
 }:
 
@@ -16,12 +15,9 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     sha256 = "sha256-+4XEJ6PKpantbIbyNroFMaNBTFffkuW/ajSocGQO9Mo=";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
-    wrapGNUstepAppsHook
-  ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ wrapGNUstepAppsHook ];
 
-  buildInputs = [ gnustep-base ];
+  propagatedBuildInputs = [ gnustep-base ];
 
   patches = [
     ./fixup-all.patch
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-libobjc/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-libobjc/package.nix
index 3ab7e7ace001..330e31bf7bb6 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-libobjc/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-libobjc/package.nix
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   };
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ cmake ];
+
   buildInputs = [ robin-map ];
 
   cmakeFlags = [ "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR=lib" ];
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-systempreferences/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-systempreferences/package.nix
index 978aae80d3f2..55341d4f8ab2 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-systempreferences/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnustep-systempreferences/package.nix
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
   clangStdenv,
   fetchurl,
   gnustep-back,
-  gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-gui,
-  gnustep-make,
   wrapGNUstepAppsHook,
 }:
 
@@ -18,16 +15,9 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     sha256 = "1fg7c3ihfgvl6n21rd17fs9ivx3l8ps874m80vz86n1callgs339";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
-    wrapGNUstepAppsHook
-  ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ wrapGNUstepAppsHook ];
 
-  buildInputs = [
-    gnustep-back
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
-  ];
+  buildInputs = [ gnustep-back ];
 
   meta = {
     description = "Settings manager for the GNUstep environment and its applications";
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/go/gorm/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/go/gorm/package.nix
index 079b75a8a12c..1e883cebca0e 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/go/gorm/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/go/gorm/package.nix
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
   clangStdenv,
   fetchzip,
   gnustep-back,
-  gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-gui,
-  gnustep-make,
   wrapGNUstepAppsHook,
 }:
 
@@ -18,16 +15,9 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     sha256 = "sha256-B7NNRA3qA2PFbb03m58EBBONuIciLf6eU+YSR0qvaCo=";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
-    wrapGNUstepAppsHook
-  ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ wrapGNUstepAppsHook ];
 
-  buildInputs = [
-    gnustep-back
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
-  ];
+  buildInputs = [ gnustep-back ];
 
   meta = {
     description = "Graphical Object Relationship Modeller is an easy-to-use interface designer for GNUstep";
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gw/gworkspace/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gw/gworkspace/package.nix
index 28eaca21359f..0f12f00838b6 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gw/gworkspace/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gw/gworkspace/package.nix
@@ -3,9 +3,6 @@
   clangStdenv,
   fetchurl,
   gnustep-back,
-  gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-gui,
-  gnustep-make,
   gnustep-systempreferences,
   wrapGNUstepAppsHook,
 }:
@@ -22,15 +19,10 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   # additional dependencies:
   # - PDFKit framework from http://gap.nongnu.org/
   # - TODO: to --enable-gwmetadata, need libDBKit as well as sqlite!
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
-    wrapGNUstepAppsHook
-  ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ wrapGNUstepAppsHook ];
 
   buildInputs = [
     gnustep-back
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
     gnustep-systempreferences
   ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ow/owl-compositor/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ow/owl-compositor/package.nix
index 8c7dc6192969..320eccc35680 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ow/owl-compositor/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ow/owl-compositor/package.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 { lib
 , clangStdenv
 , fetchFromGitHub
-, gnustep-make
-, gnustep-base
-, gnustep-gui
+, gnustep-back
 , wrapGNUstepAppsHook
 , libxkbcommon
 , makeWrapper
@@ -44,7 +42,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     darwin.DarwinTools
     darwin.bootstrap_cmds
   ] ++ lib.optionals (!stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin) [
-    gnustep-make
     wrapGNUstepAppsHook
   ];
 
@@ -54,8 +51,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
   ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [
     darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks.Cocoa
   ] ++ lib.optionals (!stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin) [
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
+    gnustep-back
   ];
 
   preConfigure = ''
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/pi/pikopixel/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/pi/pikopixel/package.nix
index 5111cb24970d..f2b00cb90fca 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/pi/pikopixel/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/pi/pikopixel/package.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 { lib
 , clangStdenv
 , fetchurl
-, gnustep-make
-, gnustep-base
-, gnustep-gui
+, gnustep-back
 , wrapGNUstepAppsHook
 }:
 
@@ -19,13 +17,11 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   sourceRoot = "PikoPixel.Sources.${version}/PikoPixel";
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
     wrapGNUstepAppsHook
   ];
 
   buildInputs = [
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
+    gnustep-back
   ];
 
   # Fix the Exec and Icon paths in the .desktop file, and save the file in the
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/pr/projectcenter/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/pr/projectcenter/package.nix
index ececb3bcf066..b4b54d6b1d44 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/pr/projectcenter/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/pr/projectcenter/package.nix
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
   gdb,
   gnumake,
   gnustep-back,
-  gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-gui,
-  gnustep-make,
   gorm,
   wrapGNUstepAppsHook,
 }:
@@ -23,10 +20,7 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     hash = "sha256-uXT2UUvMZNc6Fqi2BUXQimbZk8b3IqXzB+A2btBOmms=";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [
-    gnustep-make
-    wrapGNUstepAppsHook
-  ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ wrapGNUstepAppsHook ];
 
   # NOTE: need a patch for ProjectCenter to help it locate some necessary tools:
   # 1. Framework/PCProjectLauncher.m, locate gdb (say among NIX_GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_TOOLS)
@@ -35,8 +29,6 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     gdb
     gnumake
     gnustep-back
-    gnustep-base
-    gnustep-gui
     gorm
   ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/so/sogo/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/so/sogo/package.nix
index 2ce92f5d5b08..d4d663c5e9ba 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/so/sogo/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/so/sogo/package.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ lib, clangStdenv, fetchFromGitHub, fetchpatch, makeWrapper, python3, lndir, libxcrypt
+{ lib, clangStdenv, fetchFromGitHub, makeWrapper, python3, lndir, libxcrypt
 , openssl, openldap, sope, libmemcached, curl, libsodium, libytnef, libzip, pkg-config, nixosTests
 , oath-toolkit
 , gnustep-make
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     hash = "sha256-c+547x7ugYoLMgGVLcMmmb9rzquRJOv8n+Js2CuE7I0=";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ gnustep-make makeWrapper python3 pkg-config ];
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ makeWrapper python3 pkg-config ];
   buildInputs = [ gnustep-base sope openssl libmemcached curl libsodium libytnef libzip openldap oath-toolkit libxcrypt ]
     ++ lib.optional enableActiveSync libwbxml;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
index b82c647c1740..a6391e279f24 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/so/sope/package.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ clangStdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     hash = "sha256-6vec2ZgpK5jcKr3c2SLn6fLAun56MDjupWtR6dMdjag=";
   };
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ gnustep-make ];
   buildInputs = [ gnustep-base libxml2 openssl ]
     ++ lib.optional (openldap != null) openldap
     ++ lib.optionals (mariadb != null) [ libmysqlclient mariadb ]
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/archivers/unar/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/archivers/unar/default.nix
index b9b205324ab0..2f15a6abd764 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/archivers/unar/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/archivers/unar/default.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 , fetchFromGitHub
 , installShellFiles
 , gnustep-base
-, gnustep-make
 , bzip2
 , zlib
 , icu
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [ Foundation AppKit ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ installShellFiles ] ++
-    lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isLinux [ gnustep-make ] ++
     lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [ xcbuildHook ];
 
   xcbuildFlags = lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/openvpn/openvpn-auth-ldap.nix b/pkgs/tools/networking/openvpn/openvpn-auth-ldap.nix
index 8c8f2004b81b..e046e861e8ef 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/openvpn/openvpn-auth-ldap.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/openvpn/openvpn-auth-ldap.nix
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@
   fetchFromGitHub,
   fetchpatch2,
   autoreconfHook,
-  gnustep-make,
   gnustep-base,
-  gnustep-libobjc,
   re2c,
   openldap,
   openssl,
@@ -42,9 +40,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     autoreconfHook
-    gnustep-libobjc
-    gnustep-make
-    gnustep-base
     re2c
   ];
 
@@ -52,6 +47,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     openldap
     openssl
     openvpn
+    gnustep-base
   ];
 
   configureFlags = [