diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
index a55de86cb15..d73b4a1f364 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
@@ -210,6 +210,9 @@ assert !enableStaticLibraries -> versionOlder "7.7" ghc.version;
               ${optionalString (self.enableSharedExecutables && self.stdenv.isDarwin) ''
                 configureFlags+=" --ghc-option=-optl=-Wl,-headerpad_max_install_names"
               ''}
+              ${optionalString (versionOlder "7.8" ghc.version) ''
+                configureFlags+=" --ghc-option=-j$NIX_BUILD_CORES"
+              ''}
 
               echo "configure flags: $extraConfigureFlags $configureFlags"
               ./Setup configure --verbose --prefix="$out" --libdir='$prefix/lib/$compiler' \