diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
index 334b7e6f2c2..38f2c4c6115 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/cabal/default.nix
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
             jailbreak = false;
 
             # pass the '--enable-split-objs' flag to cabal in the configure stage
-            enableSplitObjs = true;
+            enableSplitObjs = !stdenv.isDarwin;         # http://hackage.haskell.org/trac/ghc/ticket/4013
 
             # pass the '--enable-tests' flag to cabal in the configure stage
             # and run any regression test suites the package might have