diff --git a/package/evilwm/evilwm.mk b/package/evilwm/evilwm.mk
index 78b531095b..12934427b9 100644
--- a/package/evilwm/evilwm.mk
+++ b/package/evilwm/evilwm.mk
@@ -18,4 +18,26 @@ endef
 
 EVILWM_POST_INSTALL_TARGET_HOOKS += EVILWM_INSTALL_XSESSION_FILE
 
-$(eval $(autotools-package))
+EVILWM_TOOLS_PREFIX += $(patsubst %-,%,$(TARGET_CROSS))
+
+# the configure script is not generated by autoconf
+define EVILWM_CONFIGURE_CMDS
+	(cd $(@D); $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
+		CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
+		LDFLAGS="$(TARGET_LDFLAGS)" \
+		./configure \
+		--prefix=/usr \
+		--mandir=/usr/share/man \
+		--host=$(EVILWM_TOOLS_PREFIX) \
+	)
+endef
+
+define EVILWM_BUILD_CMDS
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) -C $(@D)
+endef
+
+define EVILWM_INSTALL_TARGET_CMDS
+	$(TARGET_MAKE_ENV) $(MAKE) DESTDIR="$(TARGET_DIR)" -C $(@D) install
+endef
+
+$(eval $(generic-package))