diff --git a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/btrfs-progs/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/btrfs-progs/default.nix
index 5efe1e0cabdc75..b4539eb2f0096d 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/filesystems/btrfs-progs/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/filesystems/btrfs-progs/default.nix
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   # for python cross-compiling
   _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM = stdenv.hostPlatform.config;
-  postConfigure = ''
+  # The i686 case is a quick hack; I don't know what's wrong.
+  postConfigure = stdenv.lib.optionalString (!stdenv.isi686) ''
     export LDSHARED="$LD -shared"
   '';