diff --git a/nixos/modules/config/pulseaudio.nix b/nixos/modules/config/pulseaudio.nix
index d4aa59506295..67f7105fe2fe 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/config/pulseaudio.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/config/pulseaudio.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ config, lib, pkgs, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with pkgs;
 with lib;
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ let
 
   # Forces 32bit pulseaudio and alsaPlugins to be built/supported for apps
   # using 32bit alsa on 64bit linux.
-  enable32BitAlsaPlugins = cfg.support32Bit && stdenv.isx86_64 && (pkgs_i686.alsaLib != null && pkgs_i686.libpulseaudio != null);
+  enable32BitAlsaPlugins = cfg.support32Bit && stdenv.isx86_64 && (pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.alsaLib != null && pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.libpulseaudio != null);
 
 
   myConfigFile =
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ let
     pcm_type.pulse {
       libs.native = ${pkgs.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so ;
       ${lib.optionalString enable32BitAlsaPlugins
-     "libs.32Bit = ${pkgs_i686.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so ;"}
+     "libs.32Bit = ${pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so ;"}
     }
     pcm.!default {
       type pulse
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ let
     ctl_type.pulse {
       libs.native = ${pkgs.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_ctl_pulse.so ;
       ${lib.optionalString enable32BitAlsaPlugins
-     "libs.32Bit = ${pkgs_i686.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_ctl_pulse.so ;"}
+     "libs.32Bit = ${pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.alsaPlugins}/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_ctl_pulse.so ;"}
     }
     ctl.!default {
       type pulse
diff --git a/nixos/modules/hardware/opengl.nix b/nixos/modules/hardware/opengl.nix
index 46d06d71333a..48e0072e0892 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/hardware/opengl.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/hardware/opengl.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ config, lib, pkgs, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ in
       [ "/run/opengl-driver/share" ] ++ optional cfg.driSupport32Bit "/run/opengl-driver-32/share";
 
     hardware.opengl.package = mkDefault (makePackage pkgs);
-    hardware.opengl.package32 = mkDefault (makePackage pkgs_i686);
+    hardware.opengl.package32 = mkDefault (makePackage pkgs.pkgsi686Linux);
 
     boot.extraModulePackages = optional (elem "virtualbox" videoDrivers) kernelPackages.virtualboxGuestAdditions;
   };
diff --git a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/amdgpu-pro.nix b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/amdgpu-pro.nix
index 50af022b93c8..ab9e0c92020e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/amdgpu-pro.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/amdgpu-pro.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This module provides the proprietary AMDGPU-PRO drivers.
 
-{ config, lib, pkgs, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ let
   enabled = elem "amdgpu-pro" drivers;
 
   package = config.boot.kernelPackages.amdgpu-pro;
-  package32 = pkgs_i686.linuxPackages.amdgpu-pro.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
+  package32 = pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.linuxPackages.amdgpu-pro.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
 
   opengl = config.hardware.opengl;
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/ati.nix b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/ati.nix
index 2fa37af6ca58..6102919f0155 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/ati.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/ati.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This module provides the proprietary ATI X11 / OpenGL drivers.
 
-{ config, lib, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ in
       { name = "fglrx"; modules = [ ati_x11 ]; libPath = [ "${ati_x11}/lib" ]; };
 
     hardware.opengl.package = ati_x11;
-    hardware.opengl.package32 = pkgs_i686.linuxPackages.ati_drivers_x11.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
+    hardware.opengl.package32 = pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.linuxPackages.ati_drivers_x11.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
 
     environment.systemPackages = [ ati_x11 ];
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/nvidia.nix b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/nvidia.nix
index f8524ab99e8a..21e12395498c 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/hardware/video/nvidia.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/hardware/video/nvidia.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This module provides the proprietary NVIDIA X11 / OpenGL drivers.
 
-{ stdenv, config, lib, pkgs, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ stdenv, config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ let
   nvidia_x11 = nvidiaForKernel config.boot.kernelPackages;
   nvidia_libs32 =
     if versionOlder nvidia_x11.version "391" then
-      ((nvidiaForKernel pkgs_i686.linuxPackages).override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; }).out
+      ((nvidiaForKernel pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.linuxPackages).override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; }).out
     else
       (nvidiaForKernel config.boot.kernelPackages).lib32;
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/misc/nixpkgs.nix b/nixos/modules/misc/nixpkgs.nix
index 7f9833e184ab..1dfd2c3c6cf3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/misc/nixpkgs.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/misc/nixpkgs.nix
@@ -208,7 +208,6 @@ in
   config = {
     _module.args = {
       pkgs = cfg.pkgs;
-      pkgs_i686 = cfg.pkgs.pkgsi686Linux;
     };
   };
 }
diff --git a/nixos/modules/virtualisation/parallels-guest.nix b/nixos/modules/virtualisation/parallels-guest.nix
index 36ca7f356d44..4e0f2cae299e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/virtualisation/parallels-guest.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/virtualisation/parallels-guest.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ config, lib, pkgs, pkgs_i686, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 with lib;
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ in
     };
 
     hardware.opengl.package = prl-tools;
-    hardware.opengl.package32 = pkgs_i686.linuxPackages.prl-tools.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
+    hardware.opengl.package32 = pkgs.pkgsi686Linux.linuxPackages.prl-tools.override { libsOnly = true; kernel = null; };
 
     services.udev.packages = [ prl-tools ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/stage.nix b/pkgs/top-level/stage.nix
index 37724a870a30..4e6531286ee5 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/stage.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/stage.nix
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ let
 
     # All packages built for i686 Linux.
     # Used by wine, firefox with debugging version of Flash, ...
-    pkgsi686Linux = assert stdenv.hostPlatform.isLinux; nixpkgsFun {
+    pkgsi686Linux = if stdenv.hostPlatform.isLinux && stdenv.hostPlatform.isx86 then nixpkgsFun {
       inherit overlays config;
       ${if stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform
         then "localSystem" else "crossSystem"} = {
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ let
           cpu = lib.systems.parse.cpuTypes.i686;
         };
       };
-    };
+    } else throw "i686 Linux package set can only be used with the x86 family.";
 
     # Extend the package set with zero or more overlays. This preserves
     # preexisting overlays. Prefer to initialize with the right overlays