diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/4.8/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/4.8/default.nix
index 67c50d420f53..8bd3ee145541 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/4.8/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/4.8/default.nix
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ let version = "4.8.2";
 
     /* Platform flags */
     platformFlags = let
-        gccArch = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "arch" ] null stdenv;
-        gccCpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "cpu" ] null stdenv;
-        gccAbi = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "abi" ] null stdenv;
-        gccFpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "fpu" ] null stdenv;
-        gccFloat = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "float" ] null stdenv;
-        gccMode = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "platform" "gcc" "mode" ] null stdenv;
+        gccArch = stdenv.platform.gcc.arch or null;
+        gccCpu = stdenv.platform.gcc.cpu or null;
+        gccAbi = stdenv.platform.gcc.abi or null;
+        gccFpu = stdenv.platform.gcc.fpu or null;
+        gccFloat = stdenv.platform.gcc.float or null;
+        gccMode = stdenv.platform.gcc.mode or null;
         withArch = if gccArch != null then " --with-arch=${gccArch}" else "";
         withCpu = if gccCpu != null then " --with-cpu=${gccCpu}" else "";
         withAbi = if gccAbi != null then " --with-abi=${gccAbi}" else "";
@@ -115,22 +115,22 @@ let version = "4.8.2";
         withFloat = if gccFloat != null then " --with-float=${gccFloat}" else "";
         withMode = if gccMode != null then " --with-mode=${gccMode}" else "";
       in
-        (withArch +
+        withArch +
         withCpu +
         withAbi +
         withFpu +
         withFloat +
-        withMode);
+        withMode;
 
     /* Cross-gcc settings */
     crossMingw = (cross != null && cross.libc == "msvcrt");
     crossConfigureFlags = let
-        gccArch = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "arch" ] null cross;
-        gccCpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "cpu" ] null cross;
-        gccAbi = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "abi" ] null cross;
-        gccFpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "fpu" ] null cross;
-        gccFloat = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "float" ] null cross;
-        gccMode = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "mode" ] null cross;
+        gccArch = stdenv.cross.gcc.arch or null;
+        gccCpu = stdenv.cross.gcc.cpu or null;
+        gccAbi = stdenv.cross.gcc.abi or null;
+        gccFpu = stdenv.cross.gcc.fpu or null;
+        gccFloat = stdenv.cross.gcc.float or null;
+        gccMode = stdenv.cross.gcc.mode or null;
         withArch = if gccArch != null then " --with-arch=${gccArch}" else "";
         withCpu = if gccCpu != null then " --with-cpu=${gccCpu}" else "";
         withAbi = if gccAbi != null then " --with-abi=${gccAbi}" else "";
@@ -193,8 +193,7 @@ let version = "4.8.2";
             " --enable-nls" +
             " --disable-decimal-float") # No final libdecnumber (it may work only in 386)
           );
-    stageNameAddon = if crossStageStatic then "-stage-static" else
-      "-stage-final";
+    stageNameAddon = if crossStageStatic then "-stage-static" else "-stage-final";
     crossNameAddon = if cross != null then "-${cross.config}" + stageNameAddon else "";
 
   bootstrap = cross == null && !stdenv.isArm && !stdenv.isMips;
@@ -379,11 +378,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
     else "install";
 
   crossAttrs = let
-    xgccArch = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "arch" ] null stdenv.cross;
-    xgccCpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "cpu" ] null stdenv.cross;
-    xgccAbi = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "abi" ] null stdenv.cross;
-    xgccFpu = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "fpu" ] null stdenv.cross;
-    xgccFloat = stdenv.lib.attrByPath [ "gcc" "float" ] null stdenv.cross;
+    xgccArch = stdenv.cross.gcc.arch or null;
+    xgccCpu = stdenv.cross.gcc.cpu or null;
+    xgccAbi = stdenv.cross.gcc.abi or null;
+    xgccFpu = stdenv.cross.gcc.fpu or null;
+    xgccFloat = stdenv.cross.gcc.float or null;
     xwithArch = if xgccArch != null then " --with-arch=${xgccArch}" else "";
     xwithCpu = if xgccCpu != null then " --with-cpu=${xgccCpu}" else "";
     xwithAbi = if xgccAbi != null then " --with-abi=${xgccAbi}" else "";
@@ -443,8 +442,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
   AR = "ar";
   LD = "ld";
   # http://gcc.gnu.org/install/specific.html#x86-64-x-solaris210
-  CC = if stdenv.system == "x86_64-solaris" then "gcc -m64"
-       else "gcc";
+  CC = if stdenv.system == "x86_64-solaris" then "gcc -m64" else "gcc";
 
   # Setting $CPATH and $LIBRARY_PATH to make sure both `gcc' and `xgcc' find
   # the library headers and binaries, regarless of the language being
@@ -468,8 +466,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
 
                                    # On GNU/Hurd glibc refers to Mach & Hurd
                                    # headers.
-                                   ++ optionals (libcCross != null &&
-                                                 hasAttr "propagatedBuildInputs" libcCross)
+                                   ++ optionals (libcCross != null && libcCross ? "propagatedBuildInputs" )
                                         libcCross.propagatedBuildInputs)));
 
   LIBRARY_PATH = concatStrings
@@ -492,8 +489,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
            " -L${libpthreadCross}/lib -Wl,${libpthreadCross.TARGET_LDFLAGS}")
     else null;
 
-  passthru = { inherit langC langCC langAda langFortran langVhdl
-      langGo enableMultilib version; };
+  passthru =
+    { inherit langC langCC langAda langFortran langVhdl langGo enableMultilib version; };
 
   inherit enableParallelBuilding;
 
@@ -526,7 +523,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
   installTargets = "install-gcc install-target-libgcc";
 }
 
-
 # Strip kills static libs of other archs (hence cross != null)
 // optionalAttrs (!stripped || cross != null) { dontStrip = true; NIX_STRIP_DEBUG = 0; }
 )