diff --git a/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/20.nix b/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/20.nix
index cf11ecb8232..a5fdc2e2692 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/20.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/20.nix
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
 { fetchurl, stdenv, readline, zlib, libgpgerror, pth, libgcrypt, libassuan
 , libksba, coreutils, libiconv, pcsclite
+
 # Each of the dependencies below are optional.
 # Gnupg can be built without them at the cost of reduced functionality.
-, pinentry ? null, openldap ? null, bzip2 ? null, libusb ? null, curl ? null
+, pinentry ? null, x11Support ? true
+, openldap ? null, bzip2 ? null, libusb ? null, curl ? null
 }:
 
+with stdenv.lib;
+
+assert x11Support -> pinentry != null;
+
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "gnupg-2.0.27";
 
@@ -27,9 +33,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     patch gl/stdint_.h < ${./clang.patch}
   '';
 
-  configureFlags =
-    if pinentry != null then "--with-pinentry-pgm=${pinentry}/bin/pinentry"
-                        else "";
+  configureFlags = optional x11Support "--with-pinentry-pgm=${pinentry}/bin/pinentry";
 
   checkPhase="GNUPGHOME=`pwd` ./agent/gpg-agent --daemon make check";
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/21.nix b/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/21.nix
index 440d2294b0d..fc5da48a1b9 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/21.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/security/gnupg/21.nix
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 { fetchurl, stdenv, pkgconfig, libgcrypt, libassuan, libksba, npth
-, readline ? null, libusb ? null, gnutls ? null, adns ? null, openldap ? null
-, zlib ? null, bzip2 ? null, pinentry ? null, autoreconfHook, gettext, texinfo
-, pcsclite
+, autoreconfHook, gettext, texinfo, pcsclite
+
+# Each of the dependencies below are optional.
+# Gnupg can be built without them at the cost of reduced functionality.
+, pinentry ? null, x11Support ? true
+, adns ? null, gnutls ? null, libusb ? null, openldap ? null
+, readline ? null, zlib ? null, bzip2 ? null
 }:
 
 with stdenv.lib;
+
+assert x11Support -> pinentry != null;
+
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "gnupg-2.1.2";
 
@@ -21,12 +28,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   buildInputs = [
     pkgconfig libgcrypt libassuan libksba npth
-    readline libusb gnutls adns openldap zlib bzip2
     autoreconfHook gettext texinfo
+    readline libusb gnutls adns openldap zlib bzip2
   ];
 
-  configureFlags =
-    optional (pinentry != null) "--with-pinentry-pgm=${pinentry}/bin/pinentry";
+  configureFlags = optional x11Support "--with-pinentry-pgm=${pinentry}/bin/pinentry";
 
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     homepage = http://gnupg.org;