diff --git a/pkgs/development/tools/parsing/bison/default.nix b/pkgs/development/tools/parsing/bison/default.nix
index 3d2daba239a3..f9a3b17cd7cb 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/tools/parsing/bison/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/tools/parsing/bison/default.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   # Otherwise tests fail due to incorrect unicode symbol oconversion.
   configurePlatforms = [ "build" "host" ];
 
+  # there's a /bin/sh shebang in bin/yacc which when no strictDeps is patched with the build stdenv shell
+  # however when cross-compiling it would still be patched with the build stdenv shell which would be wrong
+  # cannot add bash to buildInputs due to infinite recursion
+  strictDeps = stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform;
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ m4 perl ] ++ lib.optional stdenv.isSunOS help2man;
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ m4 ];