diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index d388baed8f2..b828002830b 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -1944,7 +1944,12 @@ in
     enableExtraPlugins = true;
   });
 
-  asciidoctor = callPackage ../tools/typesetting/asciidoctor { kindlegen = null; };
+  asciidoctor = callPackage ../tools/typesetting/asciidoctor { 
+    # kindlegen is unfree, don't enable by default
+    kindlegen = null; 
+    # epubcheck pulls in Java, which is problematic on some platforms
+    epubcheck = null;
+  };
 
   asunder = callPackage ../applications/audio/asunder { };