diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-24/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-24/default.nix
index 9d4a6703e727..59f9f7110043 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-24/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs-24/default.nix
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
         imagemagick gconf ]
     ++ stdenv.lib.optional (withX && withGTK2) gtk2
     ++ stdenv.lib.optional (withX && withGTK3) gtk3
-    ++ stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.isDarwin && withX) cairo
-    ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin AppKit;
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional (stdenv.isDarwin && withX) cairo;
+
+  propagatedBuildInputs = stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin AppKit;
 
   configureFlags =
     if stdenv.isDarwin