diff --git a/pkgs/applications/version-management/git-and-tools/git/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/version-management/git-and-tools/git/default.nix
index 2f293c317d3..e96f31c0690 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/version-management/git-and-tools/git/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/version-management/git-and-tools/git/default.nix
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
          docbook_xsl docbook_xml_dtd_45 libxslt ]
     ++ stdenv.lib.optionals guiSupport [tcl tk];
 
+  # required to support pthread_cancel()
+  NIX_LDFLAGS = "-lgcc_s";
+
   makeFlags = "prefix=\${out} PERL_PATH=${perl}/bin/perl SHELL_PATH=${stdenv.shell} "
       + (if pythonSupport then "PYTHON_PATH=${python}/bin/python" else "NO_PYTHON=1");