diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/autogen/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/autogen/default.nix
index c6eb6916d1e..75c6471eb4c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/autogen/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/autogen/default.nix
@@ -62,7 +62,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       # the configure check for regcomp wants to run a host program
       "libopts_cv_with_libregex=yes"
       #"MAKEINFO=${buildPackages.texinfo}/bin/makeinfo"
-    ]);
+    ])
+    # See: https://sourceforge.net/p/autogen/bugs/187/
+    ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isDarwin [ "ac_cv_func_utimensat=no" ];
 
   #doCheck = true; # not reliable