diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
index 1b52a0b8b12..09d1d4cd681 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       # The dynamic linker is passed in `ldflagsBefore' to allow
       # explicit overrides of the dynamic linker by callers to gcc/ld
       # (the *last* value counts, so ours should come first).
-      printLines "''${ldflagsBefore[@]}" > $out/nix-support/libc-ldflags-before
+      printWords "''${ldflagsBefore[@]}" > $out/nix-support/libc-ldflags-before
     '')
 
     + optionalString (libc != null) ''
@@ -258,9 +258,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       # Propagate the wrapped cc so that if you install the wrapper,
       # you get tools like gcov, the manpages, etc. as well (including
       # for binutils and Glibc).
-      printLines ${cc} ${cc.man or ""} ${binutils_bin} ${if libc == null then "" else libc_bin} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+      printWords ${cc} ${cc.man or ""} ${binutils_bin} ${if libc == null then "" else libc_bin} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
 
-      printLines ${toString extraPackages} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      printWords ${toString extraPackages} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
     ''
 
     + optionalString (targetPlatform.isSunOS && nativePrefix != "") ''
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/setup-hook.sh b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/setup-hook.sh
index 3e8494cf9c1..104b82425f2 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/setup-hook.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/setup-hook.sh
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ do
     if
         PATH=$_PATH type -p "@binPrefix@$CMD" > /dev/null
     then
-        export "${ENV_PREFIX}${CMD^^}=@binPrefix@${CMD}";
+        export "${ENV_PREFIX}$(echo "$CMD" | tr "[:lower:]" "[:upper:]")=@binPrefix@${CMD}";
     fi
 done
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
index 4f141f6b8f2..22e32814927 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
@@ -211,5 +211,5 @@ cp -p $utils $out/nix-support/utils.sh
 # tools like gcov, the manpages, etc. as well (including for binutils
 # and Glibc).
 if test -z "$nativeTools"; then
-    printLines $gcc $binutils $libc $libc_bin > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+    printWords $gcc $binutils $libc $libc_bin > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
 fi
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
index 1ee1fe8298f..16bd4e8e405 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ rec {
         mkdir -p $out/nix-support
         cp ${script} $out/nix-support/setup-hook
       '' + lib.optionalString (deps != []) ''
-        printLines ${toString deps} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+        printWords ${toString deps} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
       '' + lib.optionalString (substitutions != {}) ''
         substituteAll ${script} $out/nix-support/setup-hook
       '');
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
index 3637d9f89cb..94f878097de 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ rec {
        };})
         ''
           mkdir -pv $out/nix-support
-          printLines ${toString list} | tee $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+          printWords ${toString list} | tee $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
         '';
 
   # Given manifest module data, return the module
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
index 691829c7788..6234b63208c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       install_name_tool -change /usr/X11/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib ${freetype}/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib $out/jre/lib/libfontmanager.dylib
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
index 8ce0835fcb6..1e8f88beea6 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       install_name_tool -change /usr/X11/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib ${freetype}/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib $out/jre/lib/libfontmanager.dylib
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
index 9ef7d26b2ef..72f0ba293ba 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $jre/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
index 7c50872ebe5..0f0b42640c5 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $jre/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
index 08fd724f773..fec038199ad 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ let result = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     ln -s $jrePath/lib/${architecture}/libnpjp2.so $jrePath/lib/${architecture}/plugins
 
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+    printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
     # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
     cat <<EOF >> $out/nix-support/setup-hook
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
index 03be4ee8a0b..f7638757ff7 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     find $out -name "*.so" -exec patchelf --set-rpath "$rpath" {} \;
 
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+    printWords ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
     # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
     cat <<EOF >> $out/nix-support/setup-hook
diff --git a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
index a8da63493a4..2ec77b0563a 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
     configureFlags="${concatStringsSep " " defaultConfigureFlags} $configureFlags"
 
     # nativePkgs defined in stdenv/setup.hs
-    for p in "''${!nativePkgs[@]}"; do
+    for p in "''${nativePkgs[@]}"; do
       if [ -d "$p/lib/${ghc.name}/package.conf.d" ]; then
         cp -f "$p/lib/${ghc.name}/package.conf.d/"*.conf $packageConfDir/
         continue
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
     ${optionalString isGhcjs ''
       for exeDir in "$out/bin/"*.jsexe; do
         exe="''${exeDir%.jsexe}"
-        printLines '#!${nodejs}/bin/node' > "$exe"
+        printWords '#!${nodejs}/bin/node' > "$exe"
         cat "$exeDir/all.js" >> "$exe"
         chmod +x "$exe"
       done
diff --git a/pkgs/misc/misc.nix b/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
index 6e8c6f4486f..a3c293beab3 100644
--- a/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
+++ b/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ in
   */
   collection = {list, name} : runCommand "collection-${name}" {} ''
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${builtins.toString list} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+    printWords ${builtins.toString list} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
   '';
 
   /* creates a derivation symlinking references C/C++ libs into one include and lib directory called $out/cdt-envs/${name}
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/builder.sh b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/builder.sh
index 3a8cf6fa6c8..fae8bf5a8ce 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/servers/x11/xorg/builder.sh
@@ -18,14 +18,14 @@ postInstall() {
 
     for r in $requires; do
         if test -n "$crossConfig"; then
-            for p in "${!crossPkgs[@]}"; do
+            for p in "${crossPkgs[@]}"; do
                 if test -e $p/lib/pkgconfig/$r.pc; then
                     echo "  found requisite $r in $p"
                     propagatedBuildInputs="$propagatedBuildInputs $p"
                 fi
             done
         else
-            for p in "${!nativePkgs[@]}"; do
+            for p in "${nativePkgs[@]}"; do
                 if test -e $p/lib/pkgconfig/$r.pc; then
                     echo "  found requisite $r in $p"
                     propagatedNativeBuildInputs="$propagatedNativeBuildInputs $p"
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
index f8c0fd44ac7..686cb778ca7 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
@@ -15,5 +15,5 @@ cat "$setup" >> $out/setup
 # in stdenv.
 mkdir $out/nix-support
 if [ "$propagatedUserEnvPkgs" ]; then
-    printf '%s\n' $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+    printf '%s ' $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
 fi
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index e0a33ca1c38..dc3369f6611 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ runHook() {
     shift
     local var="$hookName"
     if [[ "$hookName" =~ Hook$ ]]; then var+=s; else var+=Hooks; fi
-    local -n var
+
+    local varRef="$var[@]"
     local hook
-    for hook in "_callImplicitHook 0 $hookName" "${var[@]}"; do
+    for hook in "_callImplicitHook 0 $hookName" "${!varRef}"; do
         _eval "$hook" "$@"
     done
     return 0
@@ -33,9 +34,10 @@ runOneHook() {
     shift
     local var="$hookName"
     if [[ "$hookName" =~ Hook$ ]]; then var+=s; else var+=Hooks; fi
-    local -n var
+
+    local varRef="$var[@]"
     local hook
-    for hook in "_callImplicitHook 1 $hookName" "${var[@]}"; do
+    for hook in "_callImplicitHook 1 $hookName" "${!varRef}"; do
         if _eval "$hook" "$@"; then
             return 0
         fi
@@ -210,6 +212,11 @@ printLines() {
     printf '%s\n' "$@"
 }
 
+printWords() {
+    [[ "$#" -gt 0 ]] || return 0
+    printf '%s ' "$@"
+}
+
 ######################################################################
 # Initialisation.
 
@@ -266,12 +273,19 @@ runHook addInputsHook
 findInputs() {
     local pkg="$1"
     local var="$2"
-    local -n varDeref="$var"
     local propagatedBuildInputsFile="$3"
 
-    # Stop if we've already added this one
-    [[ -z "${varDeref["$pkg"]}" ]] || return 0
-    varDeref["$pkg"]=1
+    # TODO(@Ericson2314): Restore using associative array once Darwin
+    # nix-shell doesn't use impure bash. This should replace the O(n)
+    # case with an O(1) hash map lookup, assuming bash is implemented
+    # well :D.
+    local varRef="$var[*]"
+
+    case "${!varRef}" in
+        *" $pkg "*) return 0 ;;
+    esac
+
+    eval "$var"'+=("$pkg")'
 
     if ! [ -e "$pkg" ]; then
         echo "build input $pkg does not exist" >&2
@@ -291,31 +305,29 @@ findInputs() {
     fi
 
     if [ -f "$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile" ]; then
-        local fd pkgNext
-        exec {fd}<"$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile"
-        while IFS= read -r -u $fd pkgNext; do
+        local pkgNext
+        for pkgNext in $(< "$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile"); do
             findInputs "$pkgNext" "$var" "$propagatedBuildInputsFile"
         done
-        exec {fd}<&-
     fi
 }
 
 if [ -z "$crossConfig" ]; then
     # Not cross-compiling - both buildInputs (and variants like propagatedBuildInputs)
     # are handled identically to nativeBuildInputs
-    declare -gA nativePkgs
+    declare -a nativePkgs
     for i in $nativeBuildInputs $buildInputs \
              $defaultNativeBuildInputs $defaultBuildInputs \
              $propagatedNativeBuildInputs $propagatedBuildInputs; do
         findInputs "$i" nativePkgs propagated-native-build-inputs
     done
 else
-    declare -gA crossPkgs
+    declare -a crossPkgs
     for i in $buildInputs $defaultBuildInputs $propagatedBuildInputs; do
         findInputs "$i" crossPkgs propagated-build-inputs
     done
 
-    declare -gA nativePkgs
+    declare -a nativePkgs
     for i in $nativeBuildInputs $defaultNativeBuildInputs $propagatedNativeBuildInputs; do
         findInputs "$i" nativePkgs propagated-native-build-inputs
     done
@@ -331,7 +343,7 @@ _addToNativeEnv() {
     runHook envHook "$pkg"
 }
 
-for i in "${!nativePkgs[@]}"; do
+for i in "${nativePkgs[@]}"; do
     _addToNativeEnv "$i"
 done
 
@@ -342,7 +354,7 @@ _addToCrossEnv() {
     runHook crossEnvHook "$pkg"
 }
 
-for i in "${!crossPkgs[@]}"; do
+for i in "${crossPkgs[@]}"; do
     _addToCrossEnv "$i"
 done
 
@@ -814,19 +826,19 @@ fixupPhase() {
         if [ -n "$propagated" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
             # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-            printLines $propagated > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
+            printWords $propagated > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
         fi
     else
         if [ -n "$propagatedBuildInputs" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
             # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-            printLines $propagatedBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-build-inputs"
+            printWords $propagatedBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-build-inputs"
         fi
 
         if [ -n "$propagatedNativeBuildInputs" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
             # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-            printLines $propagatedNativeBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
+            printWords $propagatedNativeBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
         fi
     fi
 
@@ -840,7 +852,7 @@ fixupPhase() {
     if [ -n "$propagatedUserEnvPkgs" ]; then
         mkdir -p "${!outputBin}/nix-support"
         # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-        printLines $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > "${!outputBin}/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages"
+        printWords $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > "${!outputBin}/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages"
     fi
 
     runHook postFixup