diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index 0ba8d1018233..f0fcb30451dd 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 __nixpkgs_setup_set_original=$-
 set -eu
 set -o pipefail
-shopt -s inherit_errexit
 
 if [[ -n "${BASH_VERSINFO-}" && "${BASH_VERSINFO-}" -lt 4 ]]; then
     echo "Detected Bash version that isn't supported by Nixpkgs (${BASH_VERSION})"
@@ -10,6 +9,8 @@ if [[ -n "${BASH_VERSINFO-}" && "${BASH_VERSINFO-}" -lt 4 ]]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+shopt -s inherit_errexit
+
 if (( "${NIX_DEBUG:-0}" >= 6 )); then
     set -x
 fi