diff --git a/gnu/packages/engineering.scm b/gnu/packages/engineering.scm
index 97099d8a54..7d2030cd40 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/engineering.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/engineering.scm
@@ -2387,18 +2387,20 @@ parallel computing platforms.  It also supports serial execution.")
     (license license:gpl3+)))
 
 (define trilinos-parallel-xyce
-  (package (inherit trilinos-serial-xyce)
+  (package
+    (inherit trilinos-serial-xyce)
     (name "trilinos-parallel-xyce")
     (arguments
-     `(,@(substitute-keyword-arguments (package-arguments trilinos-serial-xyce)
-           ((#:configure-flags flags)
-            `(append (list "-DTrilinos_ENABLE_ShyLU=ON"
-                           "-DTrilinos_ENABLE_Zoltan=ON"
-                           "-DTPL_ENABLE_MPI=ON")
-                     ,flags)))))
+     (substitute-keyword-arguments
+         (package-arguments trilinos-serial-xyce)
+       ((#:configure-flags flags)
+        #~(cons* "-DTrilinos_ENABLE_ShyLU=ON"
+                 "-DTrilinos_ENABLE_Zoltan=ON"
+                 "-DTPL_ENABLE_MPI=ON"
+                 #$flags))))
     (inputs
-     `(("mpi" ,openmpi)
-       ,@(package-inputs trilinos-serial-xyce)))))
+     (modify-inputs (package-inputs trilinos-serial-xyce)
+       (prepend openmpi)))))
 
 (define-public xyce-parallel
   (package (inherit xyce-serial)