diff --git a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
index 556e5112b8b2..b486e384839f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/r-modules/default.nix
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ let
       pkgs.pkg-config
       pkgs.clp
     ];
-    pdftools = [ pkgs.poppler.dev ];
+    pdftools = [ pkgs.pkg-config ];
     PEPBVS = [ pkgs.gsl ];
     phytools = [ pkgs.which ];
     PKI = [ pkgs.openssl.dev ];
@@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ let
       protobuf
       zlib.dev
     ];
-    pdftools = [ pkgs.pkg-config ];
+    pdftools = [ pkgs.poppler ];
     qckitfastq = [ pkgs.zlib.dev ];
     raer = with pkgs; [
       zlib.dev