diff --git a/srcpkgs/ModemManager/template b/srcpkgs/ModemManager/template
index 7af908f803a..e2a690225f5 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/ModemManager/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/ModemManager/template
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ pkgname=ModemManager
 version=1.10.0
 revision=1
 build_style=gnu-configure
+build_helper="gir"
 configure_args="--disable-static --with-polkit=permissive
- --with-udev-base-dir=/usr/lib/udev $(vopt_enable gir introspection)"
+ --with-udev-base-dir=/usr/lib/udev $(vopt_enable gir introspection)
+ $(vopt_enable gir vala)"
 hostmakedepends="pkg-config glib-devel autoconf
  $(vopt_if gir 'vala-devel gobject-introspection')"
 makedepends="glib-devel libgudev-devel polkit-devel libqmi-devel
- libmbim-devel ppp"
+ libmbim-devel ppp $(vopt_if gir vala)"
 depends="hicolor-icon-theme ppp"
 checkdepends="dbus tzdata"
 short_desc="Mobile broadband modem management service"
@@ -19,9 +21,7 @@ distfiles="${FREEDESKTOP_SITE}/${pkgname}/${pkgname}-${version}.tar.xz"
 checksum=fd0f39996025dac96995daea8a58ec7dd571582f7563a8ae0d5f65b571b76ee2
 
 build_options="gir"
-if [ -z "$CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
-	build_options_default="gir"
-fi
+build_options_default="gir"
 
 pre_configure() {
 	# Werror ___Guarantees___ failure to build for any non-trivial project