diff --git a/gnu/packages/commencement.scm b/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
index d28296449d..183536d0b4 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
@@ -1866,6 +1866,7 @@ the bootstrap environment."
                   (inherit python-minimal)
                   (inputs
                    `(("expat" ,expat-sans-tests))) ;remove OpenSSL, zlib, etc.
+                  (native-inputs '())              ;and pkg-config
                   (arguments
                    (substitute-keyword-arguments (package-arguments
                                                   python-minimal)