diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-23/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-23/default.nix
index 59d8af33f89..866baa41ee8 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-23/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-23/default.nix
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ assert dbusSupport -> dbus != null;
 assert xaw3dSupport -> Xaw3d != null;
 assert gtkGUI -> pkgconfig != null && gtk != null;
 assert xftSupport -> libXft != null && libpng != null; # libpng = probably a bug
+assert stdenv.system == "i686-darwin" -> xawSupport; # fails to link otherwise
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "emacs-23.1";
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index bf850145ba5..538be82c612 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -6631,7 +6631,7 @@ let
       libpng libjpeg libungif libtiff texinfo dbus;
     inherit (xlibs) libXaw libXpm libXft;
     inherit (gtkLibs) gtk;
-    xawSupport = getPkgConfig "emacs" "xawSupport" false;
+    xawSupport = system == "i686-darwin" || getPkgConfig "emacs" "xawSupport" false;
     xaw3dSupport = getPkgConfig "emacs" "xaw3dSupport" false;
     gtkGUI = getPkgConfig "emacs" "gtkSupport" true;
     xftSupport = getPkgConfig "emacs" "xftSupport" true;