diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/default.nix
index ea61e7d68a2..3a475933d24 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/default.nix
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ let
 
   allowUnfree = config.allowUnfree or false || builtins.getEnv "NIXPKGS_ALLOW_UNFREE" == "1";
 
-  allowBroken = builtins.getEnv "NIXPKGS_ALLOW_BROKEN" == "1";
+  allowBroken = config.allowBroken or false || builtins.getEnv "NIXPKGS_ALLOW_BROKEN" == "1";
 
   unsafeGetAttrPos = builtins.unsafeGetAttrPos or (n: as: null);