diff --git a/pkgs/applications/backup/deja-dup/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/backup/deja-dup/default.nix
index c8fb4af3c4bf..797a00f4fc4a 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/backup/deja-dup/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/backup/deja-dup/default.nix
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   propagatedUserEnvPkgs = [ duplicity ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_LIBNAUTILUS_EXTENSION_EXTENSIONDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0";
+  PKG_CONFIG_LIBNAUTILUS_EXTENSION_EXTENSIONDIR = "lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0";
 
   postInstall = ''
     glib-compile-schemas $out/share/glib-2.0/schemas
diff --git a/pkgs/applications/misc/qpdfview/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/misc/qpdfview/default.nix
index 263bc37660c9..dfaa90d43adf 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/misc/qpdfview/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/misc/qpdfview/default.nix
@@ -21,16 +21,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
   src = fetchurl {
     inherit (s) url sha256;
   };
-  qmakeFlags = [
-    "*.pro"
-    "TARGET_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/bin"
-    "PLUGIN_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/lib/qpdfview"
-    "DATA_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/share/qpdfview"
-    "MANUAL_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/share/man/man1"
-    "ICON_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps"
-    "LAUNCHER_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/share/applications"
-    "APPDATA_INSTALL_PATH=${placeholder "out"}/share/appdata"
-  ];
+
+  # TODO: revert this once placeholder is supported
+  preConfigure = ''
+    qmakeFlags="$qmakeFlags *.pro TARGET_INSTALL_PATH=$out/bin PLUGIN_INSTALL_PATH=$out/lib/qpdfview DATA_INSTALL_PATH=$out/share/qpdfview MANUAL_INSTALL_PATH=$out/share/man/man1 ICON_INSTALL_PATH=$out/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps LAUNCHER_INSTALL_PATH=$out/share/applications APPDATA_INSTALL_PATH=$out/share/appdata"
+  '';
 
   meta = {
     inherit (s) version;
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/file-roller/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/file-roller/default.nix
index 42f0ddc6e4bb..45aab553c418 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/file-roller/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/file-roller/default.nix
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   buildInputs = [ glib gtk json-glib libarchive file gnome3.defaultIconTheme libnotify nautilus ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_LIBNAUTILUS_EXTENSION_EXTENSIONDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0";
+  PKG_CONFIG_LIBNAUTILUS_EXTENSION_EXTENSIONDIR = "lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0";
 
   postPatch = ''
     chmod +x postinstall.py # patchShebangs requires executable file
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/gnome-characters/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/gnome-characters/default.nix
index 92ce0eb8debb..b5525957d468 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/gnome-characters/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/apps/gnome-characters/default.nix
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   buildInputs = [ glib gtk3 gjs pango gnome3.gsettings-desktop-schemas gnome3.defaultIconTheme libunistring ];
 
   mesonFlags = [
-    "-Ddbus_service_dir=${placeholder "out"}/share/dbus-1/services"
+    "-Ddbus_service_dir=share/dbus-1/services"
   ];
 
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/evolution-data-server/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/evolution-data-server/default.nix
index c355c9bbce69..842ad6634227 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/evolution-data-server/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/evolution-data-server/default.nix
@@ -37,9 +37,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "-DENABLE_VALA_BINDINGS=ON"
     "-DENABLE_INTROSPECTION=ON"
     "-DCMAKE_SKIP_BUILD_RPATH=OFF"
-    "-DINCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR=${placeholder "dev"}/include"
   ];
 
+  postPatch = ''
+    cmakeFlags="-DINCLUDE_INSTALL_DIR=$dev/include $cmakeFlags"
+  '';
 
   passthru = {
     updateScript = gnome3.updateScript {
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gnome-settings-daemon/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gnome-settings-daemon/default.nix
index bfaf430d5932..cfb41c01e6ad 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gnome-settings-daemon/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gnome-settings-daemon/default.nix
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   ];
 
   mesonFlags = [
-    "-Dudev_dir=${placeholder "out"}/lib/udev"
+    "-Dudev_dir=lib/udev"
   ];
 
   postPatch = ''
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/default.nix
index a65d0f401f0e..a5ce9ee5e105 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/default.nix
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ in
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "${pname}-${version}";
 
-  outputs = [ "out" "dev" ];
-
   src = fetchurl {
     url = "mirror://gnome/sources/${pname}/${gnome3.versionBranch version}/${name}.tar.xz";
     sha256 = "0c26x8gi3ivmhlbqcmiag4jwrkvcy28ld24j55nqr3jikb904a5v";
@@ -15,12 +13,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   doCheck = true;
 
+  patches = [ ./fix_introspection_paths.patch ];
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig autoconf vala gobjectIntrospection ];
   buildInputs = [ glib ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_GIRDIR = "${placeholder "dev"}/share/gir-1.0";
-  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_TYPELIBDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/girepository-1.0";
-
   passthru = {
     updateScript = gnome3.updateScript {
       packageName = pname;
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/fix_introspection_paths.patch b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/fix_introspection_paths.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..67003f451645
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/libgee/fix_introspection_paths.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+--- fix_introspection_paths.patch/configure	2014-01-07 17:43:53.521339338 +0000
++++ fix_introspection_paths.patch/configure-fix	2014-01-07 17:45:11.068635069 +0000
+@@ -12085,8 +12085,8 @@
+        INTROSPECTION_SCANNER=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=g_ir_scanner gobject-introspection-1.0`
+        INTROSPECTION_COMPILER=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=g_ir_compiler gobject-introspection-1.0`
+        INTROSPECTION_GENERATE=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=g_ir_generate gobject-introspection-1.0`
+-       INTROSPECTION_GIRDIR=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=girdir gobject-introspection-1.0`
+-       INTROSPECTION_TYPELIBDIR="$($PKG_CONFIG --variable=typelibdir gobject-introspection-1.0)"
++       INTROSPECTION_GIRDIR="${datadir}/gir-1.0"
++       INTROSPECTION_TYPELIBDIR="${libdir}/girepository-1.0"
+        INTROSPECTION_CFLAGS=`$PKG_CONFIG --cflags gobject-introspection-1.0`
+        INTROSPECTION_LIBS=`$PKG_CONFIG --libs gobject-introspection-1.0`
+        INTROSPECTION_MAKEFILE=`$PKG_CONFIG --variable=datadir gobject-introspection-1.0`/gobject-introspection-1.0/Makefile.introspection
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/totem/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/totem/default.nix
index 50e060c13c3a..b8197ccf83c5 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/totem/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/totem/default.nix
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   '';
 
   mesonFlags = [
-    "-Dwith-nautilusdir=${placeholder "out"}/lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0"
+    "-Dwith-nautilusdir=lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0"
     # https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/totem/+bug/1712021
     # https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=784236
     # https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/1994
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glib-networking/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/glib-networking/default.nix
index 3deaf28373dd..e0bbae69c4ff 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glib-networking/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glib-networking/default.nix
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     })
   ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_GIO_2_0_GIOMODULEDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/gio/modules";
+  PKG_CONFIG_GIO_2_0_GIOMODULEDIR = "lib/gio/modules";
 
   postPatch = ''
     chmod +x meson_post_install.py # patchShebangs requires executable file
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/gvfs/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/gvfs/default.nix
index 360c1fb41f4e..86cbd01a6026 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/gvfs/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/gvfs/default.nix
@@ -63,9 +63,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   # Uncomment when switching back to meson
   # mesonFlags = [
-  #   "-Dgio_module_dir=${placeholder "out"}/lib/gio/modules"
-  #   "-Dsystemduserunitdir=${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/user"
-  #   "-Ddbus_service_dir=${placeholder "out"}/share/dbus-1/services"
+  #   "-Dgio_module_dir=lib/gio/modules"
+  #   "-Dsystemduserunitdir=lib/systemd/user"
+  #   "-Ddbus_service_dir=share/dbus-1/services"
   #   "-Dtmpfilesdir=no"
   # ] ++ stdenv.lib.optionals (!gnomeSupport) [
   #   "-Dgcr=false" "-Dgoa=false" "-Dkeyring=false" "-Dhttp=false"
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/libwnck/3.x.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/libwnck/3.x.nix
index f2d05d14d693..8efd908584e1 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/libwnck/3.x.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/libwnck/3.x.nix
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec{
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig intltool gobjectIntrospection ];
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ libX11 gtk3 ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_GIRDIR = "${placeholder "dev"}/share/gir-1.0";
-  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_TYPELIBDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/girepository-1.0";
+  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_GIRDIR = "$(dev)/share/gir-1.0";
+  PKG_CONFIG_GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_1_0_TYPELIBDIR = "$(out)/lib/girepository-1.0";
 
   passthru = {
     updateScript = gnome3.updateScript {
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/pipewire/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/pipewire/default.nix
index e87ed8e48a98..c50fc9fb35c8 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/pipewire/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/pipewire/default.nix
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "-Denable_gstreamer=true"
   ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/user";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "lib/systemd/user";
 
   FONTCONFIG_FILE = fontsConf; # Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
index f421755b6182..c34701e3f913 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/science/math/sympow/default.nix
@@ -34,11 +34,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     makeWrapper "$out/share/sympow/sympow" "$out/bin/sympow" \
       --run 'export SYMPOW_LOCAL="$HOME/.local/share/sympow"' \
       --run 'if [ ! -d "$SYMPOW_LOCAL" ]; then
-        mkdir -p "$SYMPOW_LOCAL" 
-        cp -r ${placeholder "out"}/share/sympow/* "$SYMPOW_LOCAL"
+        mkdir -p "$SYMPOW_LOCAL"
+        cp -r @out@/share/sympow/* "$SYMPOW_LOCAL"
         chmod -R +xw "$SYMPOW_LOCAL"
     fi' \
       --run 'cd "$SYMPOW_LOCAL"'
+    substituteInPlace $out/bin/sympow --subst-var out
+
     runHook postInstall
   '';
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/spice-gtk/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/spice-gtk/default.nix
index f5258c1cd6d8..f4f10978ec13 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/spice-gtk/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/spice-gtk/default.nix
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig gettext libsoup autoreconfHook vala gobjectIntrospection ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_POLKIT_GOBJECT_1_POLICYDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/share/polkit-1/actions";
+  PKG_CONFIG_POLKIT_GOBJECT_1_POLICYDIR = "$(out)/share/polkit-1/actions";
 
   configureFlags = [
     "--with-gtk3"
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/dbus-broker/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/dbus-broker/default.nix
index 6582825d6f24..794ebd126fa4 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/dbus-broker/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/dbus-broker/default.nix
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   buildInputs = [ dbus glib linuxHeaders systemd ];
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDSYSTEMUNITDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/system";
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/user";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDSYSTEMUNITDIR = "lib/systemd/system";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "lib/systemd/user";
 
   postInstall = ''
     install -Dm644 ../README $out/share/doc/dbus-broker/README
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/selinux-sandbox/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/selinux-sandbox/default.nix
index 71d2ee6e80af..431f5e9ef517 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/selinux-sandbox/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/selinux-sandbox/default.nix
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     substituteInPlace Makefile --replace "-m 4755" "-m 755"
     substituteInPlace sandboxX.sh \
       --replace "#!/bin/sh" "#!${bash}/bin/sh" \
-      --replace "/usr/share/sandbox/start" "${placeholder "out"}/share/sandbox/start" \
+      --replace "/usr/share/sandbox/start" "$out/share/sandbox/start" \
       --replace "/usr/bin/cut" "${coreutils}/bin/cut" \
       --replace "/usr/bin/Xephyr" "${xorgserver}/bin/Xepyhr" \
       --replace "secon" "${policycoreutils}/bin/secon"
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/gmic/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/graphics/gmic/default.nix
index 51212a3ea946..c267695dd784 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/graphics/gmic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/graphics/gmic/default.nix
@@ -32,12 +32,16 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "-DBUILD_LIB_STATIC=OFF"
     "-DBUILD_PLUGIN=${if withGimpPlugin then "ON" else "OFF"}"
     "-DENABLE_DYNAMIC_LINKING=ON"
-  ] ++ stdenv.lib.optional withGimpPlugin "-DPLUGIN_INSTALL_PREFIX=${placeholder "gimpPlugin"}/${gimp.targetPluginDir}";
+  ];
 
   postPatch = ''
     cp ${CMakeLists} CMakeLists.txt
   '';
 
+  preConfigure = stdenv.lib.optionalString withGimpPlugin ''
+    cmakeFlags="$cmakeFlags -DPLUGIN_INSTALL_PREFIX=$gimpPlugin/${gimp.targetPluginDir}"
+  '';
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "G'MIC is an open and full-featured framework for image processing";
     homepage = http://gmic.eu/;
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/colord/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/colord/default.nix
index e442850fbaaf..a5d71a9487cc 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/colord/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/colord/default.nix
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     glib-compile-schemas $out/share/glib-2.0/schemas
   '';
 
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDSYSTEMUNITDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/system";
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/systemd/user";
-  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_TMPFILESDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/tmpfiles.d";
-  PKG_CONFIG_BASH_COMPLETION_COMPLETIONSDIR= "${placeholder "out"}/share/bash-completion/completions";
-  PKG_CONFIG_UDEV_UDEVDIR = "${placeholder "out"}/lib/udev";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDSYSTEMUNITDIR = "lib/systemd/system";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR = "lib/systemd/user";
+  PKG_CONFIG_SYSTEMD_TMPFILESDIR = "lib/tmpfiles.d";
+  PKG_CONFIG_BASH_COMPLETION_COMPLETIONSDIR= "share/bash-completion/completions";
+  PKG_CONFIG_UDEV_UDEVDIR = "lib/udev";
 
   postFixup = ''
     wrapProgram "$out/libexec/colord-session" \