diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/zxing-cpp/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/zxing-cpp/default.nix
index aa7db78c4c32..a6f83f2859d4 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/zxing-cpp/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/zxing-cpp/default.nix
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     pkg-config
   ];
 
+  # error: 'path' is unavailable: introduced in macOS 10.15
+  CXXFLAGS = lib.optional (stdenv.hostPlatform.system == "x86_64-darwin") "-D_LIBCPP_DISABLE_AVAILABILITY";
+
   cmakeFlags = [
     "-DBUILD_EXAMPLES=OFF"
   ];