diff --git a/gnu/packages/virtualization.scm b/gnu/packages/virtualization.scm
index 9f80e333be..4368949743 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/virtualization.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/virtualization.scm
@@ -730,13 +730,7 @@ (define-public criu
              (setenv "C_INCLUDE_PATH"
                      (string-append (assoc-ref inputs "libnl")
                                     "/include/libnl3:"
-                                    ;; Also add the kernel headers here so that GCC
-                                    ;; treats them as "system headers".  Otherwise
-                                    ;; the build fails with -Werror because parasite.c
-                                    ;; includes both <linux/fs.h> and <sys/mount.h>,
-                                    ;; which define some of the same constants.
-                                    (assoc-ref inputs "kernel-headers")
-                                    "/include"))
+                                    (or (getenv "C_INCLUDE_PATH") "")))
              #t))
          (add-after 'configure 'fix-documentation
            (lambda* (#:key inputs outputs #:allow-other-keys)