diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/build.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/build.nix
index 21c2936fa0f..0177e706af1 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/build.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/build.nix
@@ -1,34 +1,35 @@
-{ stdenv, makeStaticLibraries,
-  coreutils, rsync, bash,
+{ pkgs, gccStdenv, lib, coreutils, # makeStaticLibraries,
   openssl, zlib, sqlite, libxml2, libyaml, libmysqlclient, lmdb, leveldb, postgresql,
-  version, git-version, gambit, src }:
+  version, git-version,
+  gambit-support,
+  gambit ? pkgs.gambit, gambit-params ? pkgs.gambit-support.stable-params,
+  src, configurePhase, installPhase }:
+
+# We use Gambit, that works 10x better with GCC than Clang. See ../gambit/build.nix
+let stdenv = gccStdenv; in
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "gerbil";
   inherit version;
   inherit src;
 
-  # Use makeStaticLibraries to enable creation of statically linked binaries
   buildInputs_libraries = [ openssl zlib sqlite libxml2 libyaml libmysqlclient lmdb leveldb postgresql ];
-  buildInputs_staticLibraries = map makeStaticLibraries buildInputs_libraries;
 
-  buildInputs = [ gambit rsync bash ]
-    ++ buildInputs_libraries ++ buildInputs_staticLibraries;
+  # TODO: either fix all of Gerbil's dependencies to provide static libraries,
+  # or give up and delete all tentative support for static libraries.
+  #buildInputs_staticLibraries = map makeStaticLibraries buildInputs_libraries;
+
+  buildInputs = [ gambit ]
+    ++ buildInputs_libraries; # ++ buildInputs_staticLibraries;
 
   NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-I${libmysqlclient}/include/mysql -L${libmysqlclient}/lib/mysql";
 
   postPatch = ''
-    echo '(define (gerbil-version-string) "v${git-version}")' > src/gerbil/runtime/gx-version.scm
-
-    patchShebangs .
-
+    echo '(define (gerbil-version-string) "v${git-version}")' > src/gerbil/runtime/gx-version.scm ;
+    patchShebangs . ;
     grep -Fl '#!/usr/bin/env' `find . -type f -executable` | while read f ; do
-      substituteInPlace "$f" --replace '#!/usr/bin/env' '#!${coreutils}/bin/env'
-    done
-    grep -Fl '"gsc"' `find . -type f -name '*.s*'` | while read f ; do
-      substituteInPlace "$f" --replace '"gsc"' '"${gambit}/bin/gsc"'
-    done
-    substituteInPlace "etc/gerbil.el" --replace '"gxc"' "\"$out/bin/gxc\""
+      substituteInPlace "$f" --replace '#!/usr/bin/env' '#!${coreutils}/bin/env' ;
+    done ;
 '';
 
 ## TODO: make static compilation work.
@@ -47,22 +48,20 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 # LEVELDB=${makeStaticLibraries leveldb}/lib/libleveldb.a
 # EOF
 
+  inherit configurePhase installPhase;
+
   buildPhase = ''
     runHook preBuild
 
-    # Enable all optional libraries
-    substituteInPlace "src/std/build-features.ss" --replace '#f' '#t'
-
-    # Enable autodetection of a default GERBIL_HOME
-    for i in src/gerbil/boot/gx-init-exe.scm src/gerbil/boot/gx-init.scm ; do
-      substituteInPlace "$i" --replace '(getenv "GERBIL_HOME" #f)' "(getenv \"GERBIL_HOME\" \"$out\")"
-    done
-    for i in src/gerbil/boot/gxi-init.scm src/gerbil/compiler/driver.ss src/gerbil/runtime/gx-gambc.scm src/std/build.ss src/tools/build.ss ; do
-      substituteInPlace "$i" --replace '(getenv "GERBIL_HOME")' "(getenv \"GERBIL_HOME\" \"$out\")"
-    done
-
     # gxprof testing uses $HOME/.cache/gerbil/gxc
-    export HOME=$$PWD
+    export HOME=$PWD
+    export GERBIL_BUILD_CORES=$NIX_BUILD_CORES
+    export GERBIL_GXC=$PWD/bin/gxc
+    export GERBIL_BASE=$PWD
+    export GERBIL_HOME=$PWD
+    export GERBIL_PATH=$PWD/lib
+    export PATH=$PWD/bin:$PATH
+    ${gambit-support.export-gambopt gambit-params}
 
     # Build, replacing make by build.sh
     ( cd src && sh build.sh )
@@ -70,33 +69,15 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     runHook postBuild
   '';
 
-  installPhase = ''
-    runHook preInstall
-    mkdir -p $out/
-    cp -fa bin lib etc doc $out/
-
-    cat > $out/bin/gxi <<EOF
-#!${bash}/bin/bash -e
-export GERBIL_HOME=$out
-case "\$1" in -:*) GSIOPTIONS=\$1 ; shift ;; esac
-if [[ \$# = 0 ]] ; then
-  exec ${gambit}/bin/gsi \$GSIOPTIONS \$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-init \$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-interactive -
-else
-  exec ${gambit}/bin/gsi \$GSIOPTIONS \$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-init "\$@"
-fi
-EOF
-    runHook postInstall
-  '';
-
   dontStrip = true;
 
   meta = {
     description = "Gerbil Scheme";
     homepage    = "https://github.com/vyzo/gerbil";
-    license     = stdenv.lib.licenses.lgpl2;
+    license     = lib.licenses.lgpl21; # also asl20, like Gambit
     # NB regarding platforms: regularly tested on Linux, only occasionally on macOS.
     # Please report success and/or failure to fare.
-    platforms   = stdenv.lib.platforms.unix;
-    maintainers = with stdenv.lib.maintainers; [ fare ];
+    platforms   = lib.platforms.unix;
+    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ fare ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/default.nix
index 8c6b1a87cd3..d7b1fe3cf5e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/default.nix
@@ -1,14 +1,50 @@
-{ stdenv, callPackage, fetchFromGitHub, gambit }:
+{ callPackage, fetchFromGitHub, gambit, bash }:
 
 callPackage ./build.nix rec {
   version = "0.15.1";
   git-version = "0.15.1";
-  inherit gambit;
   src = fetchFromGitHub {
     owner = "vyzo";
     repo = "gerbil";
     rev = "v${version}";
     sha256 = "0qpqms66hz41wwhxb1z0fnzj96ivkm7qi9h9d7lhlr3fsxm1kp1n";
   };
-  inherit stdenv;
+  configurePhase = ''
+    grep -Fl '"gsc"' `find . -type f -name '*.s*'` | while read f ; do
+      substituteInPlace "$f" --replace '"gsc"' '"${gambit}/bin/gsc"' ;
+    done ;
+    for f in etc/gerbil.el src/std/make.ss ; do
+      substituteInPlace "$f" --replace '"gxc"' "\"$out/bin/gxc\"" ;
+    done ;
+
+    # Enable all optional libraries
+    substituteInPlace "src/std/build-features.ss" --replace '#f' '#t' ;
+
+    # Enable autodetection of a default GERBIL_HOME
+    for i in src/gerbil/boot/gx-init-exe.scm src/gerbil/boot/gx-init.scm ; do
+      substituteInPlace "$i" --replace '(define default-gerbil-home #f)' "(define default-gerbil-home \"$out/gerbil\")" ;
+      substituteInPlace "$i" --replace '(getenv "GERBIL_HOME" #f)' "(getenv \"GERBIL_HOME\" \"$out/gerbil\")" ;
+    done ;
+    for i in src/gerbil/boot/gxi-init.scm src/gerbil/compiler/driver.ss src/gerbil/runtime/gx-gambc.scm src/std/build.ss src/tools/build.ss ; do
+      substituteInPlace "$i" --replace '(getenv "GERBIL_HOME")' "(getenv \"GERBIL_HOME\" \"$out/gerbil\")" ;
+    done
+  '';
+  installPhase = ''
+    runHook preInstall
+    mkdir -p $out/gerbil $out/bin
+    cp -fa bin lib etc doc $out/gerbil
+    cat > $out/gerbil/bin/gxi <<EOF
+#!${bash}/bin/bash -e
+GERBIL_GSI=${gambit}/bin/gsi
+export GERBIL_HOME=$out/gerbil
+case "\$1" in -:*) GSIOPTIONS="\$1" ; shift ;; esac
+if [[ \$# = 0 ]] ; then
+  exec "\$GERBIL_GSI" \$GSIOPTIONS "\$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-init" "\$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-interactive" -
+else
+  exec "\$GERBIL_GSI" \$GSIOPTIONS "\$GERBIL_HOME/lib/gxi-init" "\$@"
+fi
+EOF
+    (cd $out/bin ; ln -s ../gerbil/bin/* .)
+    runHook postInstall
+  '';
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/gerbil-support.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/gerbil-support.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af83cfa4a60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/gerbil-support.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+{ pkgs, gccStdenv, callPackage, fetchFromGitHub }:
+# See ../gambit/build.nix regarding gccStdenv
+
+rec {
+  # Gerbil libraries
+  gerbilPackages-unstable = {
+  };
+
+  # Use this function in any package that uses Gerbil libraries, to define the GERBIL_LOADPATH.
+  gerbilLoadPath =
+    gerbilInputs : builtins.concatStringsSep ":" (map (x : x + "/gerbil/lib") gerbilInputs);
+
+  # Use this function to create a Gerbil library. See gerbil-utils as an example.
+  gerbilPackage = {
+    pname, version, src, meta, package,
+    git-version ? "", version-path ? "config/version.ss",
+    gerbil ? pkgs.gerbil-unstable,
+    gambit-params ? pkgs.gambit-support.stable-params,
+    gerbilInputs ? [],
+    buildInputs ? [],
+    softwareName ? "" } :
+    let buildInputs_ = buildInputs; in
+    gccStdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+      inherit src meta pname version;
+      buildInputs = [ gerbil ] ++ gerbilInputs ++ buildInputs_;
+      postPatch = ''
+        set -e ;
+        if [ -n "${version-path}" ] ; then
+          echo '(import :clan/utils/version)\n(register-software "${softwareName}" "${git-version}")\n' > "${version-path}"
+        fi
+        patchShebangs . ;
+      '';
+
+      postConfigure = ''
+        export GERBIL_BUILD_CORES=$NIX_BUILD_CORES
+        export GERBIL_PATH=$PWD/.build
+        export GERBIL_LOADPATH=${gerbilLoadPath gerbilInputs}
+        ${pkgs.gambit-support.export-gambopt gambit-params}
+      '';
+
+      buildPhase = ''
+        runHook preBuild
+        ./build.ss
+        runHook postBuild
+      '';
+
+      installPhase = ''
+        runHook preInstall
+        mkdir -p $out/gerbil/lib
+        cp -fa .build/lib $out/gerbil/
+        bins=(.build/bin/*)
+        if [ 0 -lt ''${#bins} ] ; then
+          cp -fa .build/bin $out/gerbil/
+          mkdir $out/bin
+          cd $out/bin
+          ln -s ../gerbil/bin/* .
+        fi
+        runHook postInstall
+      '';
+
+      dontFixup = true;
+    };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix
index eb78eed35ee..d14b4f7d349 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix
@@ -1,15 +1,34 @@
-{ stdenv, callPackage, fetchFromGitHub, gambit, gambit-unstable }:
+{ callPackage, fetchFromGitHub, gambit-unstable, gambit-support, coreutils, bash }:
 
 callPackage ./build.nix {
   version = "unstable-2020-02-27";
   git-version = "0.16-DEV-493-g1ffb74db";
-  #gambit = gambit-unstable;
-  gambit = gambit;
   src = fetchFromGitHub {
     owner = "vyzo";
     repo = "gerbil";
     rev = "1ffb74db5ffd49b4bad751586cef5e619c891d41";
     sha256 = "1szmdp8lvy5gpcwn5bpa7x383m6vywl35xa7hz9a5vs1rq4w2097";
   };
-  inherit stdenv;
+  inherit gambit-support;
+  gambit = gambit-unstable;
+  gambit-params = gambit-support.unstable-params;
+  configurePhase = ''
+    (cd src && ./configure \
+      --prefix=$out/gerbil \
+      --with-gambit=${gambit}/gambit \
+      --enable-libxml \
+      --enable-libyaml \
+      --enable-zlib \
+      --enable-sqlite \
+      --enable-mysql \
+      --enable-lmdb \
+      --enable-leveldb)
+  '';
+  installPhase = ''
+    runHook preInstall
+    mkdir -p $out/gerbil $out/bin
+    (cd src; ./install)
+    (cd $out/bin ; ln -s ../gerbil/bin/* .)
+    runHook postInstall
+  '';
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 8a26aea2beb..05a2f3ec5a2 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -8202,11 +8202,13 @@ in
 
   fpc = callPackage ../development/compilers/fpc { };
 
-  gambit = callPackage ../development/compilers/gambit { stdenv = gccStdenv; };
+  gambit = callPackage ../development/compilers/gambit { };
   gambit-unstable = callPackage ../development/compilers/gambit/unstable.nix { };
   gambit-support = callPackage ../development/compilers/gambit/gambit-support.nix { };
-  gerbil = callPackage ../development/compilers/gerbil { stdenv = gccStdenv; };
-  gerbil-unstable = callPackage ../development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix { stdenv = gccStdenv; };
+  gerbil = callPackage ../development/compilers/gerbil { };
+  gerbil-unstable = callPackage ../development/compilers/gerbil/unstable.nix { };
+  gerbil-support = callPackage ../development/compilers/gerbil/gerbil-support.nix { };
+  gerbilPackages-unstable = gerbil-support.gerbilPackages-unstable; # NB: don't recurseIntoAttrs for (unstable!) libraries
 
   gccFun = callPackage (if stdenv.targetPlatform.isVc4 then ../development/compilers/gcc/6 else ../development/compilers/gcc/9);
   gcc = if stdenv.targetPlatform.isVc4 then gcc6 else gcc9;