diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/nss/generic.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/nss/generic.nix
index c7d768fad3f8..f2a2c831962c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/nss/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/nss/generic.nix
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       target = getArch stdenv.hostPlatform;
       target_system = stdenv.hostPlatform.uname.system;
       host = getArch stdenv.buildPlatform;
+      targetIsPpc64le = stdenv.hostPlatform.isPower64 && stdenv.hostPlatform.isLittleEndian;
 
       buildFlags = [
         "-v"
@@ -127,6 +128,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       ++ lib.optionals (target_system != stdenv.buildPlatform.uname.system) [
         "-DOS=${target_system}"
       ]
+      ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isPower [
+        "-Ddisable_altivec=${if targetIsPpc64le then "0" else "1"}"
+        "-Ddisable_crypto_vsx=${if targetIsPpc64le then "0" else "1"}"
+      ]
       ++ lib.optionals (!stdenv.buildPlatform.canExecute stdenv.hostPlatform) [
         "--disable-tests"
       ];