diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
index f8726fd31d2..8d5d6908f04 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/builder.sh
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ postInstall() {
     # appears to be a regression:
     # http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-glibc@lists.debian.org/msg31543.html
     cp ../$sourceRoot/linuxthreads/semaphore.h $out/include
+
+    # Fix for NIXOS-54 (ldd not working on x86_64).  Make a symlink
+    # "lib64" to "lib".
+    if test -n "$is64bit"; then
+        ln -s lib $out/lib64
+    fi
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/default.nix
index 086747e9dcc..e4720cf56d5 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/default.nix
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   inherit kernelHeaders installLocales;
 
+  inherit (stdenv) is64bit;
+
   # `--with-tls --without-__thread' enables support for TLS but causes
   # it not to be used.  Required if we don't want to barf on 2.4
   # kernels.  Or something.