diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/common.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/common.nix
index 5db9e08e3f9..6e409158f0b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/common.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/common.nix
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
     (if profilingLibraries
      then "--enable-profile"
      else "--disable-profile")
-  ] ++ stdenv.lib.optionals (cross == null) [
+  ] ++ stdenv.lib.optionals (cross == null && kernelHeaders != null) [
     "--enable-kernel=${kernelHeaders.versionForGlibc}"
   ] ++ stdenv.lib.optionals (cross != null) [
     (if cross.withTLS then "--with-tls" else "--without-tls")