diff --git a/pkgs/development/go-modules/generic/default.nix b/pkgs/development/go-modules/generic/default.nix
index f986d164ee8c..e2428edbb268 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/go-modules/generic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/go-modules/generic/default.nix
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ let
         IFS=' ' read -r -a excludedArr <<<$excludedPackages
         printf -v excludedAlternates '%s\\|' "''${excludedArr[@]}"
         excludedAlternates=''${excludedAlternates%\\|} # drop final \| added by printf
-        exclude+='\\|'"$excludedAlternates"
+        exclude+='\|'"$excludedAlternates"
       fi
       exclude+='\)'
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/go-packages/generic/default.nix b/pkgs/development/go-packages/generic/default.nix
index 6e96f443ff9f..3d633324eefe 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/go-packages/generic/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/go-packages/generic/default.nix
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ let
         IFS=' ' read -r -a excludedArr <<<$excludedPackages
         printf -v excludedAlternates '%s\\|' "''${excludedArr[@]}"
         excludedAlternates=''${excludedAlternates%\\|} # drop final \| added by printf
-        exclude+='\\|'"$excludedAlternates"
+        exclude+='\|'"$excludedAlternates"
       fi
       exclude+='\)'