diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/uclibc/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/uclibc/default.nix
index b856a788348f..88cf59cf8b74 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/uclibc/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/uclibc/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{stdenv, fetchurl, linuxHeaders, libiconv, cross ? null, gccCross ? null,
+{stdenv, fetchurl, linuxHeaders, libiconvReal, cross ? null, gccCross ? null,
 extraConfig ? ""}:
 
 assert stdenv.isLinux;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   passthru = {
     # Derivations may check for the existance of this attribute, to know what to link to.
-    inherit libiconv;
+    libiconv = libiconvReal;
   };
 
   meta = {
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index f0c98ce6c2ff..c7997f1d2637 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -6285,11 +6285,16 @@ let
 
   libgsf = callPackage ../development/libraries/libgsf { };
 
+  # glibc provides libiconv so systems with glibc don't need to build libiconv
+  # separately, but we also provide libiconvReal, which will always be a
+  # standalone libiconv, just in case you want it
   libiconv =
     if stdenv.isGlibc
     then stdenv.cc.libc
     else callPackage ../development/libraries/libiconv { };
 
+  libiconvReal = callPackage ../development/libraries/libiconv { };
+
   # On non-GNU systems we need GNU Gettext for libintl.
   libintlOrEmpty = stdenv.lib.optional (!stdenv.isLinux) gettext;
 
@@ -9163,7 +9168,7 @@ let
   uclibc = callPackage ../os-specific/linux/uclibc { };
 
   uclibcCross = lowPrio (callPackage ../os-specific/linux/uclibc {
-    inherit fetchurl stdenv libiconv;
+    inherit fetchurl stdenv libiconvReal;
     linuxHeaders = linuxHeadersCross;
     gccCross = gccCrossStageStatic;
     cross = assert crossSystem != null; crossSystem;