diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/psmisc/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/psmisc/default.nix
index 8b3906dedb1f..68e51afdf1bb 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/psmisc/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/psmisc/default.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   nativeBuildInputs = [ autoconf automake gettext ];
   buildInputs = [ ncurses ];
 
-  preConfigure = ''
+  preConfigure = stdenv.lib.optionalString (stdenv.buildPlatform != stdenv.hostPlatform) ''
+    # Goes past the rpl_malloc linking failure
+    export ac_cv_func_malloc_0_nonnull=yes
+    export ac_cv_func_realloc_0_nonnull=yes
+  '' + ''
     echo $version > .tarball-version
     ./autogen.sh
   '';