diff --git a/pkgs/misc/ghostscript/default.nix b/pkgs/misc/ghostscript/default.nix
index 6397f320424..4183654aebc 100644
--- a/pkgs/misc/ghostscript/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/misc/ghostscript/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-{stdenv, fetchurl, libjpeg, libpng, zlib}:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, libjpeg, libpng, zlib
+, x11Support, x11 ? null
+}:
+
+assert x11Support -> x11 != null;
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "ghostscript-8.15";
@@ -17,7 +21,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     # ... add other fonts here
   ];
 
-  buildInputs = [libjpeg libpng zlib];
+  buildInputs = [
+    libjpeg libpng zlib
+    (if x11Support then x11 else null)
+  ];
 
-  configureFlags = "--without-x";
+  configureFlags = if x11Support then "--with-x" else "--without-x";
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/system/all-packages-generic.nix b/pkgs/system/all-packages-generic.nix
index 060399eb1c8..2d7863cd6ac 100644
--- a/pkgs/system/all-packages-generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/system/all-packages-generic.nix
@@ -1510,7 +1510,8 @@ rec {
   };
 
   ghostscript = (import ../misc/ghostscript) {
-    inherit fetchurl stdenv libjpeg libpng zlib;
+    inherit fetchurl stdenv libjpeg libpng zlib x11;
+    x11Support = false;
   };
 
   nix = (import ../misc/nix) {