diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/neovim/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/neovim/default.nix
index 6808d7115c57..99b04059730d 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/neovim/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/neovim/default.nix
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ in
 
     cmakeFlags = [
       "-DGPERF_PRG=${gperf}/bin/gperf"
-      "-DLIBLUV_LIBRARY=${lua.pkgs.luv}/lib/lua/${lua.luaversion}/luv.so"
       "-DLUA_PRG=${neovimLuaEnv.interpreter}"
     ]
+    # FIXME: this is verry messy and strange.
+    ++ optional (!stdenv.isDarwin) "-DLIBLUV_LIBRARY=${lua.pkgs.luv}/lib/lua/${lua.luaversion}/luv.so"
+    ++ optional (stdenv.isDarwin) "-DLIBLUV_LIBRARY=${lua.pkgs.luv.libluv}/lib/lua/${lua.luaversion}/libluv.dylib"
     ++ optional doCheck "-DBUSTED_PRG=${neovimLuaEnv}/bin/busted"
     ++ optional (!lua.pkgs.isLuaJIT) "-DPREFER_LUA=ON"
     ;