diff --git a/ci/OWNERS b/ci/OWNERS
index 052135bf6a68..f728377fc809 100644
--- a/ci/OWNERS
+++ b/ci/OWNERS
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ pkgs/by-name/lx/lxc*                    @adamcstephens
 /pkgs/desktops/expidus              @RossComputerGuy
 
 # GNU Tar & Zip
-/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar        @RossComputerGuy
+/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar        @RossComputerGuy
 /pkgs/by-name/zi/zip           @RossComputerGuy
 
 # SELinux
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/link-libiconv.patch b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar/link-libiconv.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/link-libiconv.patch
rename to pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar/link-libiconv.patch
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar/package.nix
similarity index 75%
rename from pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix
rename to pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar/package.nix
index c7e65d9ce7f9..51344245c45f 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gn/gnutar/package.nix
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
   stdenv,
   fetchurl,
   autoreconfHook,
-  updateAutotoolsGnuConfigScriptsHook,
   libintl,
   gettext,
   aclSupport ? lib.meta.availableOn stdenv.hostPlatform acl,
   acl,
+  versionCheckHook,
 }:
 
 # Note: this package is used for bootstrapping fetchurl, and thus
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@
 # cgit) that are needed here should be included directly in Nixpkgs as
 # files.
 
-stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   pname = "gnutar";
   version = "1.35";
 
   src = fetchurl {
-    url = "mirror://gnu/tar/tar-${version}.tar.xz";
+    url = "mirror://gnu/tar/tar-${finalAttrs.version}.tar.xz";
     sha256 = "sha256-TWL/NzQux67XSFNTI5MMfPlKz3HDWRiCsmp+pQ8+3BY=";
   };
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   # which is not safe on darwin.
   # see http://article.gmane.org/gmane.os.macosx.fink.devel/21882
   postPatch = lib.optionalString stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin ''
-    substituteInPlace src/system.c --replace '_(' 'N_('
+    substituteInPlace src/system.c --replace-fail '_(' 'N_('
   '';
 
   outputs = [
@@ -40,20 +40,16 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     "info"
   ];
 
-  nativeBuildInputs = [ autoreconfHook ];
+  strictDeps = true;
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [ autoreconfHook ] ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isCygwin gettext;
 
   # Add libintl on Darwin specifically as it fails to link (or skip)
   # NLS on it's own:
   #  "_libintl_textdomain", referenced from:
   #    _main in tar.o
   #  ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64
-  buildInputs =
-    lib.optional aclSupport acl
-    ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin libintl
-    # gettext gets pulled in via autoreconfHook because strictDeps is not set,
-    # and is linked against. Without this, it doesn't end up in HOST_PATH.
-    # TODO: enable strictDeps, and either make this dependency explicit, or remove it
-    ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isCygwin gettext;
+  buildInputs = lib.optional aclSupport acl ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin libintl;
 
   # May have some issues with root compilation because the bootstrap tool
   # cannot be used as a login shell for now.
@@ -61,11 +57,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     stdenv.hostPlatform.system == "armv7l-linux" || stdenv.hostPlatform.isSunOS
   ) "1";
 
-  doCheck = false; # fails
-  doInstallCheck = false; # fails
+  doCheck = true;
+  doInstallCheck = true;
+  nativeInstallCheckInputs = [ versionCheckHook ];
 
   meta = {
-    description = "GNU implementation of the `tar' archiver";
+    description = "GNU implementation of the `tar` archiver";
     longDescription = ''
       The Tar program provides the ability to create tar archives, as
       well as various other kinds of manipulation.  For example, you
@@ -81,13 +78,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       archives).
     '';
     homepage = "https://www.gnu.org/software/tar/";
-
     license = lib.licenses.gpl3Plus;
-
-    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ RossComputerGuy ];
     mainProgram = "tar";
+    maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ RossComputerGuy ];
     platforms = lib.platforms.all;
-
     priority = 10;
   };
-}
+})
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
index a6115d05440c..e2c2131eb762 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
@@ -847,7 +847,6 @@ in
               findutils
               gawk
               gnused
-              gnutar
               gnugrep
               gnupatch
               patchelf
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 473d5062ab08..5c4ac5e82371 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -2443,8 +2443,6 @@ with pkgs;
 
   gnused = callPackage ../tools/text/gnused { };
 
-  gnutar = callPackage ../tools/archivers/gnutar { };
-
   inherit (callPackage ../development/tools/godot { })
     godot3
     godot3-export-templates