diff --git a/gnu/packages/bioconductor.scm b/gnu/packages/bioconductor.scm
index 840f937c2b..ab2595b229 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/bioconductor.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/bioconductor.scm
@@ -6009,6 +6009,17 @@ (define-public r-cytolib
          "1wylzps7wbvm64k62w5bbi8l74gaqca96psfapxfg6mcac5yz4qw"))))
     (properties `((upstream-name . "cytolib")))
     (build-system r-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     `(#:phases
+       (modify-phases %standard-phases
+         (add-after 'unpack 'fix-linking
+           (lambda _
+             (substitute* "src/Makevars.in"
+               ;; This is to avoid having a plain directory on the list of
+               ;; libraries to link.
+               (("\\(RHDF5_LIBS\\)" match)
+                (string-append match "/libhdf5.a")))
+             #t)))))
     (inputs
      `(("zlib" ,zlib)))
     (native-inputs