diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/builder.sh
index 9a1c1490019a..f979b91200d2 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.13/builder.sh
@@ -51,5 +51,11 @@ postInstall() {
     rm -f $out/lib/libgcc_s.so.1
 }
 
+postFixup() {
+    # libelf uses gencat, so we need to fix it's rpath so that it doesn't pick up the system rpath. 
+    patchelf --set-rpath $out/lib $out/bin/gencat
+    # librt (used by acl, used by coreutils) links against pthread, try *not* to pick up the system one. 
+    patchelf --set-rpath $out/lib $out/lib/librt-*.so
+}
 
 genericBuild
diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.14/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.14/builder.sh
index 9a1c1490019a..7d829816fb7b 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.14/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/glibc/2.14/builder.sh
@@ -51,5 +51,12 @@ postInstall() {
     rm -f $out/lib/libgcc_s.so.1
 }
 
+postFixup() {
+    # libelf uses gencat, so we need to fix it's rpath so that it doesn't pick up the system rpath.
+    patchelf --set-rpath $out/lib $out/bin/gencat
+    # librt (used by acl, used by coreutils) links against pthread, try *not* to pick up the system one.
+    patchelf --set-rpath $out/lib $out/lib/librt-*.so
+}
+
 
 genericBuild
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/coreutils/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/coreutils/default.nix
index 597ab802d74e..9ccb5226cedc 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/coreutils/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/coreutils/default.nix
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   NIX_LDFLAGS = stdenv.lib.optionalString selinuxSupport "-lsepol";
 
+  # the coreutils install calls the ginstall just compiled, before we have
+  # a chance to patchelf it. 
+  libPath = stdenv.lib.makeLibraryPath ([stdenv.gcc.libc] ++ buildInputs);
+
+  preInstall = ''
+    patchelf --set-rpath $libPath src/ginstall
+  '';
+
   meta = {
     homepage = http://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/;
     description = "The basic file, shell and text manipulation utilities of the GNU operating system";