diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/binutils/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/binutils/default.nix
index fc48a4aabada..adff07ac35a7 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/misc/binutils/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/misc/binutils/default.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 , cross ? null, gold ? true, bison ? null
 }:
 
+assert !stdenv.isDarwin;
+
 let basename = "binutils-2.23.1"; in
 
 with { inherit (stdenv.lib) optional optionals optionalString; };
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index c8ac81b3a5f9..2fe8bdc05f9d 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -3917,9 +3917,11 @@ let
 
   bam = callPackage ../development/tools/build-managers/bam {};
 
-  binutils = callPackage ../development/tools/misc/binutils {
-    inherit noSysDirs;
-  };
+  binutils = if stdenv.isDarwin
+    then stdenv.gcc.binutils
+    else callPackage ../development/tools/misc/binutils {
+      inherit noSysDirs;
+    };
 
   binutils_nogold = lowPrio (callPackage ../development/tools/misc/binutils {
     inherit noSysDirs;