diff --git a/gnu/packages/qt.scm b/gnu/packages/qt.scm
index ff9a99c672..05037b034e 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/qt.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/qt.scm
@@ -2733,19 +2733,7 @@ (define-public qtwebkit
                                ;; libraries and test executables in a
                                ;; reasonable amount of memory.
                                "-DCMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS=-Wl,--no-keep-memory"
-                               "-DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS=-Wl,--no-keep-memory")
-       #:phases
-       (modify-phases %standard-phases
-         (replace 'build
-           ;; This is a workaround for the build failing with the error:
-           ;;   ld: error adding symbols: Malformed archive
-           ;; Increasing the maximum number of open file descriptors
-           ;; makes the build succeed.
-           (lambda* (#:key make-flags #:allow-other-keys)
-             (let ((cmd (format #f
-                                "ulimit -n 4096; make ~{~a~^ ~}"
-                                make-flags)))
-               (invoke "sh" "-c" cmd)))))))
+                               "-DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS=-Wl,--no-keep-memory")))
     (home-page "https://www.webkit.org")
     (synopsis "Web browser engine and classes to render and interact with web
 content")