diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/cracklib/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/cracklib/default.nix
index ea3f5e6476b..66cab45bf7a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/cracklib/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/cracklib/default.nix
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   nativeBuildInputs = lib.optional (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) buildPackages.cracklib;
   buildInputs = [ zlib gettext ];
 
-  postPatch = ''
+  postPatch = stdenv.lib.optionalString (stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform) ''
     chmod +x util/cracklib-format
     patchShebangs util
 
+  '' + ''
     ln -vs ${toString wordlists} dicts/
   '';