diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/common-config.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/common-config.nix
index 1fcb2300ca31..a403c4d0b718 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/common-config.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/common-config.nix
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ with stdenv.lib;
   SECURITY_SELINUX_BOOTPARAM_VALUE 0 # Disable SELinux by default
   DEVKMEM? n # Disable /dev/kmem
   ${if versionOlder version "3.14" then ''
-    CC_STACKPROTECTOR y # Detect buffer overflows on the stack
+    CC_STACKPROTECTOR? y # Detect buffer overflows on the stack
   '' else ''
-    CC_STACKPROTECTOR_REGULAR y
+    CC_STACKPROTECTOR_REGULAR? y
   ''}
   ${optionalString (versionAtLeast version "3.12") ''
     USER_NS y # Support for user namespaces