diff --git a/kimapr/packages/override.scm b/kimapr/packages/override.scm
index b8ff979..1ecf349 100644
--- a/kimapr/packages/override.scm
+++ b/kimapr/packages/override.scm
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 (define-public (specs/pkgs->pkgs pkgs)
   (map (lambda (x)
          (if (string? x)
-             (specification->package x) x)) pkgs))
+             (car (specifications->packages `(,x))) x)) pkgs))
 
 (define-public (unfuck-packages pkgs)
   ;; kind of a hack but i'm laziggy