diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 887ec12fe0ba..e3c32bac3f7f 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -4378,7 +4378,7 @@ let
     inherit fetchurl stdenv;
     # The "! (stdenv ? cross)" is for the cross-built arm ncurses, which
     # don't build for me in unicode.
-    unicode = (system != "i686-cygwin" && ! (stdenv ? cross));
+    unicode = (system != "i686-cygwin" && ! (crossSystem == null));
   };
 
   neon = neon026;