diff --git a/gnu/packages/algebra.scm b/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
index 3ceef8ecd2..89e17cd73f 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/algebra.scm
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ (define-public bc
              (patches (search-patches "bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch"))))
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (native-inputs
-     (list automake autoconf ed flex texinfo))
+     (list automake autoconf ed flex readline texinfo))
     (inputs
      (list readline))
     (arguments
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch
index 14dfecdbde..04f2c92abf 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch
+++ b/gnu/packages/patches/bc-fix-cross-compilation.patch
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
-Patch taken from nix.
-
-commit fdda59736ddc048cf38a2c7103f4f5d9eeaf995e
-Author: Ben Gamari <ben@smart-cactus.org>
-Date:   Tue Oct 17 10:51:34 2017 -0400
-
-    Try implementing cross-compilation
+Patch adapted from Nix.
+Upstream-status: Submitted to bug-bc@gnu.org.
 
 diff --git a/bc/Makefile.am b/bc/Makefile.am
-index d9d412e..fdef633 100644
+index d9d412e..13f2b1e 100644
 --- a/bc/Makefile.am
 +++ b/bc/Makefile.am
+@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = bc.h bcdefs.h const.h fix-libmath_h global.h libmath.b proto.h \
+              sbc.y
+ noinst_HEADERS = libmath.h
+ 
+-DISTCLEANFILES = sbc sbc.c sbc.h libmath.h
++DISTCLEANFILES = fbc sbc sbc.c sbc.h libmath.h
+ 
+ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in bc.c bc.h scan.c \
+ 	bc.y bcdefs.h const.h execute.c fix-libmath_h \
 @@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in bc.c bc.h scan.c \
  
  AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(srcdir) -I$(srcdir)/../h
@@ -18,31 +22,36 @@ index d9d412e..fdef633 100644
  LIBL = @LEXLIB@
  LDADD = $(LIBBC) $(LIBL) @READLINELIB@
  
-@@ -29,12 +30,20 @@ $(PROGRAMS): libmath.h $(LIBBC)
+@@ -29,15 +30,22 @@ $(PROGRAMS): libmath.h $(LIBBC)
  scan.o: bc.h
  global.o: libmath.h
-+
-+main_host.c : main.c
-+	cp $< $@
  
 -fbcOBJ = main.o bc.o scan.o execute.o load.o storage.o util.o warranty.o
-+fbcOBJ = $(addsuffix _host,main.o bc.o scan.o execute.o load.o storage.o util.o warranty.o)
-+
-+%.o_host : CC:=$(CC_FOR_BUILD)
-+
-+%.o_host : %.c
-+	$(COMPILE) -c $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -o $@ $<
++%.o_host: CC := $(CC_FOR_BUILD)
++%.o_host: %.c
++	$(COMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
  
 -libmath.h: libmath.b $(fbcOBJ) $(LIBBC)
-+libmath.h: libmath.b $(fbcOBJ) $(LIBBC_HOST)
- 	echo '{0}' > libmath.h
+-	echo '{0}' > libmath.h
 -	$(MAKE) global.o
 -	$(LINK) -o fbc $(fbcOBJ) global.o $(LIBBC) $(LIBL) $(READLINELIB) $(LIBS)
-+	$(MAKE) global.o_host
-+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o fbc $(fbcOBJ) global.o_host $(LIBBC_HOST) $(LIBL) ${READLINELIB} $(LIBS)
- 	./fbc -c $(srcdir)/libmath.b </dev/null >libmath.h
+-	./fbc -c $(srcdir)/libmath.b </dev/null >libmath.h
++fbcOBJ = $(addsuffix _host,\
++	   main.o bc.o scan.o execute.o load.o storage.o util.o warranty.o)
++
++global_host.c: global.c
++	sed 's/#include "libmath.h"/{0}/' $< > $@
++
++fbc: $(fbcOBJ) global_host.o_host $(LIBBC_HOST) $(LIBS)
++	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) $(LIBL) $(READLINELIB) -o $@ $^
++
++libmath.h: libmath.b fbc $(LIBBC_HOST)
++	./fbc -c $(srcdir)/libmath.b < /dev/null > libmath.h
  	$(srcdir)/fix-libmath_h
- 	rm -f ./fbc ./global.o
+-	rm -f ./fbc ./global.o
+ 
+ sbcOBJ = main.o sbc.o scan.o execute.o global.o load.o storage.o util.o \
+          warranty.o
 diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
 index fc74573..5cabb73 100644
 --- a/configure.ac
@@ -64,7 +73,7 @@ index fc74573..5cabb73 100644
  
  AM_PROG_LEX
 diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
-index ec4bf59..c670f5b 100644
+index ec4bf59..24c9f42 100644
 --- a/lib/Makefile.am
 +++ b/lib/Makefile.am
 @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
@@ -74,14 +83,23 @@ index ec4bf59..c670f5b 100644
  
  AM_CPPFLAGS = -I. -I.. -I$(srcdir)/../h
  
-@@ -24,3 +24,11 @@ testmul: testmul.o number.o
+@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ libbc_a_SOURCES = getopt.c getopt1.c vfprintf.c number.c
+ 
+ DEFS = @DEFS@ $(DEFSADD)
+ 
+-AM_CFLAGS = @CFLAGS@
+-
+ MAINTAINERCLEANFILES = Makefile.in number.c
+ CLEANFILES = testmul specialnumber muldigits.h
+ 
+@@ -24,3 +22,11 @@ testmul: testmul.o number.o
  
  specialnumber: newnumber.o
  	cp newnumber.o number.o
 +
-+%.o_host : CC:=$(CC_FOR_BUILD)
++%.o_host: CC := $(CC_FOR_BUILD)
 +%.o_host : %.c
-+	$(COMPILE) -c $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) -o $@ $<
++	$(COMPILE) -c -o $@ $<
 +
 +libbc_host.a : $(addsuffix _host,$(libbc_a_OBJECTS))
 +	ar cru $@ $+
