diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
index e1ce3200e8c..3f35dce2eb2 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix
@@ -227,6 +227,8 @@ rec {
           inherit doCheck doInstallCheck;
 
           inherit outputs;
+        } // lib.optionalAttrs (attrs.enableParallelBuilding or false) {
+          enableParallelChecking = attrs.enableParallelChecking or true;
         } // lib.optionalAttrs (hardeningDisable != [] || hardeningEnable != []) {
           NIX_HARDENING_ENABLE = enabledHardeningOptions;
         } // lib.optionalAttrs (stdenv.buildPlatform.isDarwin) {
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index 141e94c5ed4..e51dc1f1a0a 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -1044,7 +1044,7 @@ checkPhase() {
         # Old bash empty array hack
         # shellcheck disable=SC2086
         local flagsArray=(
-            ${enableParallelBuilding:+-j${NIX_BUILD_CORES} -l${NIX_BUILD_CORES}}
+            ${enableParallelChecking:+-j${NIX_BUILD_CORES} -l${NIX_BUILD_CORES}}
             $makeFlags ${makeFlagsArray+"${makeFlagsArray[@]}"}
             ${checkFlags:-VERBOSE=y} ${checkFlagsArray+"${checkFlagsArray[@]}"}
             ${checkTarget}
@@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ installCheckPhase() {
         # Old bash empty array hack
         # shellcheck disable=SC2086
         local flagsArray=(
-            ${enableParallelBuilding:+-j${NIX_BUILD_CORES} -l${NIX_BUILD_CORES}}
+            ${enableParallelChecking:+-j${NIX_BUILD_CORES} -l${NIX_BUILD_CORES}}
             $makeFlags ${makeFlagsArray+"${makeFlagsArray[@]}"}
             $installCheckFlags ${installCheckFlagsArray+"${installCheckFlagsArray[@]}"}
             ${installCheckTarget:-installcheck}