diff --git a/pkgs/development/misc/msp430/mspdebug.nix b/pkgs/development/misc/msp430/mspdebug.nix
index f8abc15de57..181907a5544 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/misc/msp430/mspdebug.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/misc/msp430/mspdebug.nix
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@
 , libusb-compat-0_1
 , readline ? null
 , enableReadline ? true
+, hidapi ? null
+, pkg-config ? null
 }:
 
+assert stdenv.isDarwin -> hidapi != null && pkg-config != null;
 assert enableReadline -> readline != null;
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
@@ -17,11 +20,24 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "0prgwb5vx6fd4bj12ss1bbb6axj2kjyriyjxqrzd58s5jyyy8d3c";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ libusb-compat-0_1 ]
-  ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableReadline readline;
-  installFlags = [ "PREFIX=$(out)" "INSTALL=install" ];
-  makeFlags = stdenv.lib.optional (!enableReadline) "WITHOUT_READLINE=1";
   enableParallelBuilding = true;
+  nativeBuildInputs = stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin pkg-config;
+  buildInputs = [ libusb-compat-0_1 ]
+  ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin hidapi
+  ++ stdenv.lib.optional enableReadline readline;
+
+  postPatch = stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin ''
+    # TODO: remove once a new 0.26+ release is made
+    substituteInPlace drivers/tilib_api.c --replace .so ${stdenv.hostPlatform.extensions.sharedLibrary}
+
+    # Makefile only uses pkg-config if it detects homebrew
+    substituteInPlace Makefile --replace brew true
+  '';
+
+  installFlags = [ "PREFIX=$(out)" "INSTALL=install" ];
+  makeFlags = [ "UNAME_S=$(unameS)" ] ++
+    stdenv.lib.optional (!enableReadline) "WITHOUT_READLINE=1";
+  unameS = stdenv.lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin "Darwin";
 
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     description = "A free programmer, debugger, and gdb proxy for MSP430 MCUs";