diff --git a/srcpkgs/qemacs/template b/srcpkgs/qemacs/template
index 85688f13dac..a82bd65e0d3 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/qemacs/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/qemacs/template
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 pkgname=qemacs
 version=0.5.0.20170701
 revision=3
+create_wrksrc=yes
+build_wrksrc=qemacs
 build_style=configure
 configure_args="--prefix=/usr --mandir=/usr/share/man
  --disable-x11 --disable-plugins"
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ license="LGPL-2.1-or-later"
 homepage="https://bellard.org/qemacs/"
 
 do_fetch() {
+	cd ${wrksrc}
 	cvs -d :pserver:anonymous@cvs.savannah.nongnu.org:/sources/qemacs \
 		co -D ${version##*.} qemacs
 }