diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/default.nix
index 2f7a4233656..12d4c24ea4b 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/default.nix
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     let libPath = lib.makeLibraryPath [
       libXcursor
     ];
-    in lib.optionalString (withX && toolkit == "lucid") ''
+    in lib.optionalString (stdenv.isLinux && withX && toolkit == "lucid") ''
       patchelf --set-rpath \
         "$(patchelf --print-rpath "$out/bin/emacs"):${libPath}" \
         "$out/bin/emacs"