diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
index 4058ccd6c59fd..993f9cdf9aa2b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/openssl/default.nix
@@ -224,10 +224,6 @@ let
       rmdir $etc/etc/ssl/{certs,private}
     '' + lib.optionalString (conf != null) ''
       cat ${conf} > $etc/etc/ssl/openssl.cnf
-    '' + lib.optionalString (lib.versionAtLeast version "3.3.0") ''
-      # cleanup cmake helpers for now (for OpenSSL >= 3.3), only rely on pkg-config.
-      # pkg-config gets its paths fixed correctly
-      rm -rf $dev/lib/cmake
     '';
 
     postFixup = lib.optionalString (!stdenv.hostPlatform.isWindows) ''
@@ -237,6 +233,10 @@ let
         echo "Found an erroneous dependency on perl ^^^" >&2
         exit 1
       fi
+    '' + lib.optionalString (lib.versionAtLeast version "3.3.0") ''
+      # cleanup cmake helpers for now (for OpenSSL >= 3.3), only rely on pkg-config.
+      # pkg-config gets its paths fixed correctly
+      rm -rf $dev/lib/cmake
     '';
 
     passthru.tests.pkg-config = testers.testMetaPkgConfig finalAttrs.finalPackage;