diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/default.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 014ea0933366..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/default.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, adns, boehmgc, openssl, automake, m4, autoconf
-, libtool, pkgconfig }:
-
-stdenv.mkDerivation {
-  name = "gale-1.1happy";
-
-  src = fetchFromGitHub {
-    owner = "grawity";
-    repo = "gale";
-    rev = "b34a67288e8bd6f0b51b60abb704858172a3665c";
-    sha256 = "19mcisxxqx70m059rqwv7wpmp94fgyckzjwywpmdqd7iwvppnsqf";
-  };
-
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ m4 libtool automake autoconf ];
-  buildInputs = [ boehmgc openssl adns pkgconfig ];
-
-  patches = [ ./gale-install.in.patch ];
-
-  preConfigure = ''
-    substituteInPlace configure.ac --replace \$\{sysconfdir\} /etc
-    ./bootstrap
-  '';
-  configureArgs = [ "--sysconfdir=/etc" ];
-
-  meta = with stdenv.lib; {
-    homepage = http://gale.org/;
-    description = "Chat/messaging system (server and client)";
-    platforms = platforms.all;
-    license = licenses.gpl2Plus;
-  };
-}
diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/gale-install.in.patch b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/gale-install.in.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index 33e3e09a96d2..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale/gale-install.in.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,339 +0,0 @@
-diff --git a/gale-install.in b/gale-install.in
-index 50e8ad8..eec0ed2 100644
---- a/gale-install.in
-+++ b/gale-install.in
-@@ -29,22 +29,78 @@ testkey_stdin() {
- 	gkinfo -x 2>/dev/null | qgrep "^Public key: <$1>"
- }
- 
--if [ -n "$GALE_SYS_DIR" ]; then
--	SYS_DIR="$GALE_SYS_DIR"
--elif [ -n "$sysconfdir" ]; then
--	SYS_DIR="$sysconfdir/gale"
-+INST_SYS_DIR="$sysconfdir/gale"
-+
-+if [ `id -u` -eq 0 ]; then
-+	is_root=yes
-+	SYS_DIR=/etc/gale
-+else
-+	is_root=no
-+	SYS_DIR="$HOME/.gale"
-+fi
-+
-+if [ -f /etc/NIXOS ]; then
-+	is_nixos=yes
-+else
-+	is_nixos=no
-+fi
-+
-+if [ -u /run/wrappers/bin/gksign ]; then
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+Gale appears to have already been set up via the NixOS module system (check
-+/etc/nixos/configuration.nix).
-+
-+EOM
-+
-+	exit 0
-+fi
-+
-+if [ $is_root = yes ]; then
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+You are running gale-install as root, so I'm going to assume you want to set up
-+Gale for system-wide use.  Unfortunately, Gale expects to be able to run the
-+"gksign" program via setuid, and we can't change gksign's permissions once it's
-+already been installed because the Nix store is immutable by design.
-+
-+EOM
-+
-+	if [ $is_nixos = no ]; then
-+		cat <<EOM
-+
-+This isn't a NixOS system.  Gale can only be installed for a single user on
-+non-NixOS systems.  If you want a system-wide installation, you'll have to
-+install Gale the old-fashioned way.  Sorry.
-+
-+EOM
-+
-+		exit 1
-+	fi
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+This script will generate a domain key for you, and after you get it signed, you
-+can finish the setup process by configuring Gale via the NixOS module system
-+(i.e. /etc/nixos/configuration.nix).
-+
-+EOM
-+
- else
--	echo "Error: cannot locate Gale system configuration directory."
--	exit 1
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+Hi.  You are running gale-install as a normal user, so I'm going to assume you
-+want to set up Gale for your own (i.e. non-system-wide) use.
-+
-+EOM
-+
- fi
- 
--CONF="$SYS_DIR/conf"
- umask 022
--PATH="$bindir:$sbindir:$PATH:/usr/ucb"
-+PATH="$bindir:$sbindir:$PATH"
- export PATH
- 
--if [ -f "$CONF" ]; then
--	exec 3<"$CONF"
-+if [ -n "$SYS_DIR" ] && [ -f "$SYS_DIR/conf" ]; then
-+	exec 3<"$SYS_DIR/conf"
- 
- 	while read var value <&3 ; do
- 		case "$var" in
-@@ -58,52 +114,14 @@ if [ -f "$CONF" ]; then
- 	exec 3<&-
- fi
- 
--USER="`whoami`"
--if [ -z "$USER" ]; then
--	echo "Error: cannot determine your username."
--	exit 1
--fi
--
--# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--# check directory structure
--
--if [ ! -d "$SYS_DIR" ]; then
--	echo "Error: Invalid SYS_DIR: \"$SYS_DIR\"."
--	exit 1
--fi
--
- # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--# get settings for important variables: user, domain, server
-+# get settings for important variables: domain, server
- 
--[ -n "$CONF_GALE_USER" ] && GALE_USER="$CONF_GALE_USER"
- [ -n "$CONF_GALE_DOMAIN" ] && GALE_DOMAIN="$CONF_GALE_DOMAIN"
- [ -n "$CONF_GALE_SERVER" ] && GALE_SERVER="$CONF_GALE_SERVER"
- 
--if [ -z "$GALE_USER" ]; then
--cat << EOM
--
--Hi.  You need to denote a user to own the Gale domain secret key.  You must
--trust this user with Gale authentication for your domain; the "gksign" program
--will run as this user.  I recommend using a special "gale" user; if you don't
--have administrative privileges here, you'll probably have to use your own
--account.  I do not recommend the use of "root".
--
--No harm done if you stop this script now to set up such a user.
--
--EOM
--
--	printf "Enter the Gale username: "
--	read GALE_USER
--	if [ -z "$GALE_USER" ]; then
--		echo "Error: Invalid username or no home dir: \"$GALE_USER\"."
--		exit 1
--	fi
--else
--	echo "Using \"$GALE_USER\" as the Gale owner."
--fi
--
- if [ -z "$GALE_DOMAIN" ] ; then
--cat << EOM
-+	cat << EOM
- 
- You need to identify the name of your Gale domain for two purposes:
- 
-@@ -140,97 +158,56 @@ else
- fi
- 
- # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--# create configuration file
--
--if [ ! -f "$CONF" ]; then
--cat > "$CONF" <<EOM
--# $CONF -- created by Gale installer; edit to suit.
--EOM
-+# create configuration file (if this is a single-user setup)
-+
-+if [ $is_root = no ]; then
-+	CONF="$SYS_DIR/conf"
-+
-+	if [ ! -d "$SYS_DIR" ]; then
-+		run mkdir -m 0700 -p "$SYS_DIR"
-+		run mkdir -m 0700 -p "$SYS_DIR/auth"
-+		run mkdir -m 0755 -p "$SYS_DIR/auth/trusted"
-+		run cp -f "$INST_SYS_DIR/auth/trusted/ROOT" "$SYS_DIR/auth/trusted"
-+		run mkdir -m 0700 -p "$SYS_DIR/auth/private"
-+		run mkdir -p "$SYS_DIR/auth/local" "$SYS_DIR/auth/cache"
-+	fi
- 
--cat <<EOM
-+	if [ ! -f "$CONF" ]; then
-+		cat <<EOM
- 
- *** Creating "$CONF".
- Examine and edit this file to your taste and local needs.
- If you want to recreate it from scratch, remove it and re-run this.
--EOM
--fi
--
--[ -n "$CONF_GALE_USER" ] || cat >> "$CONF" <<EOM
- 
--# The user who owns the domain secret key.  (Used in installation and upgrade)
--GALE_USER $GALE_USER
- EOM
- 
--[ -n "$CONF_GALE_DOMAIN" ] || cat >> "$CONF" << EOM
-+		cat > "$CONF" <<EOF
-+# $CONF -- created by Gale installer; edit to suit.
- 
- # The authentication domain to use.  (Mandatory)
- GALE_DOMAIN $GALE_DOMAIN
--EOM
--
--# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--# make gksign setuid
-+EOF
- 
--gksign="$sbindir/gksign"
--readlink="`which readlink 2>/dev/null`"
--[ -x "$readlink" ] && gksignlink="`"$readlink" "$gksign" 2>/dev/null`"
--[ -f "$gksignlink" ] && gksign="$gksignlink"
--
--echo ""
--if copy chown "$GALE_USER" "$gksign" ; then
--	:
--else
--	echo "*** We need to chown $GALE_USER '$gksign'."
--	echo "    Please run this script as a user that can do so,"
--	echo "    or do so yourself and re-run this script."
--	exit 1
-+	fi
- fi
--run chmod 4755 "$gksign"
- 
--# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--# create a domain, if necessary
-+if [ $is_root = no ]; then
-+	GALE_SYS_DIR="$SYS_DIR"
-+	export GALE_SYS_DIR
- 
--echo ""
--if test -u "$gksign" || copy chmod u+s "$gksign" ; then
--	:
-+	testkey "$GALE_DOMAIN" && exit 0
-+	echo "*** You lack a signed key for your domain, \"$GALE_DOMAIN\"."
-+	GALE="$SYS_DIR"
- else
--	echo "*** We need to chmod u+s '$gksign'."
--	echo "    Please run this script as a user that can do so,"
--	echo "    or do so yourself and re-run this script."
--	exit 1
--fi
--
--testkey "$GALE_DOMAIN" && exit 0
--echo "*** You lack a signed key for your domain, \"$GALE_DOMAIN\"."
--
--if [ "x$GALE_USER" != "x$USER" ]; then
--cat <<EOM
--Become user "$GALE_USER" (you are now "$USER") and run this script again
--to create a new domain; contact your domain administrator if you wish to 
--become part of an existing domain.
--EOM
--	exit 1
--fi
--
--if [ -z "$HOME" ]; then
--	cd
--	HOME="`pwd`"
--	echo "Warning: \$HOME not set, assuming \"$HOME\"."
--fi
--
--GALE="$HOME/.gale"
--mkdir -p "$GALE"
--if [ ! -w "$GALE" ]; then
--	echo "Error: Cannot create \"$GALE\"."
--	exit 1
-+	GALE="`pwd`"
- fi
- 
- unsigned="$GALE/$GALE_DOMAIN.unsigned"
- signer="`echo "$GALE_DOMAIN" | sed 's%^[^.@:/]*[.@:/]%%'`"
- [ -z "$signer" ] && signer="ROOT"
- 
--if [ -f "$unsigned" ]; then
--
--cat << EOM
-+if [ $is_root = no ] && [ -f "$unsigned" ]; then
-+	cat << EOM
- 
- Okay, so we've already been here.  Last time, I created the file
- "$unsigned" for you to have signed.
-@@ -275,16 +252,12 @@ EOM
- 		exit 1
- 	fi
- 
--cat << EOM
--
--The domain should be properly configured now.  Assuming users can access a
--version of "gksign" setuid to "$GALE_USER" (this user), they should be
--able to start running clients and generating IDs for themselves.
-+	cat << EOM
- 
--The installation process is complete!
-+The domain should be properly configured now.  The installation process is
-+complete!
- 
- EOM
--
- 	exit 0
- fi
- 
-@@ -300,7 +273,10 @@ printf "Enter the description: "
- read descr
- 
- echo "We will generate the key now.  Have patience."
--gkgen -r "$GALE/auth/private/$GALE_DOMAIN.gpri" \
-+if [ $is_root = no ]; then
-+	install_gpri=auth/private/
-+fi
-+gkgen -r "$GALE/${install_gpri}$GALE_DOMAIN.gpri" \
-       -u "$unsigned" "$GALE_DOMAIN" /"$descr" || exit 1
- 
- cat << EOM
-@@ -311,8 +284,29 @@ the owner of the "$signer" domain through appropriate means.
- Take care to preseve the file's binary data; you may need to uuencode it.
- 
- Assuming they trust you with your subdomain, they should pass the key through
--"gksign" as a filter, returning the signed output to you.  When you have this
--signed key file available, re-run this script, and we will move on to the
--next step.
-+"gksign" as a filter, returning the signed output to you.
-+
-+EOM
-+
-+if [ $is_nixos = yes ]; then
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+When you have this signed key file available, you can finish the setup process
-+by placing the private key and signed public key in a directory (they will be
-+copied) and setting "services.gale.keyPath" in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix.
- 
- EOM
-+else
-+	cat <<EOM
-+
-+When you have this signed key file available, re-run this script, and we will
-+move on to the next step.
-+
-+*** IMPORTANT ***
-+You must set GALE_SYS_DIR="$GALE_SYS_DIR" in your environment before re-running
-+this script and before running any Gale programs once setup is finished!  Make
-+sure to set it now, and consider setting it via your shell initialization files
-+so that you don't forget to do it next login.
-+
-+EOM
-+fi
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index fb153423d311..44760e4bd77b 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -18629,8 +18629,6 @@ with pkgs;
 
   gajim = callPackage ../applications/networking/instant-messengers/gajim { };
 
-  gale = callPackage ../applications/networking/instant-messengers/gale { };
-
   gammu = callPackage ../applications/misc/gammu { };
 
   gensgs = callPackage_i686 ../misc/emulators/gens-gs { };