diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-2/desktop/gnome-icon-theme/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-2/desktop/gnome-icon-theme/default.nix
index 315f6ff9c5a9..dd7e269f94e5 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-2/desktop/gnome-icon-theme/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-2/desktop/gnome-icon-theme/default.nix
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig intltool iconnamingutils gtk ];
 
+  # remove a tree of dirs with no files within
+  postInstall = '' rm -r "$out/share/locale" '';
+
   meta = {
     platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.linux;
   };
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.16/core/adwaita-icon-theme/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.16/core/adwaita-icon-theme/default.nix
index a445ff73608b..eb210f1bb5bd 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.16/core/adwaita-icon-theme/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.16/core/adwaita-icon-theme/default.nix
@@ -13,9 +13,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   propagatedBuildInputs = [ hicolor_icon_theme ];
 
   buildInputs = [ gdk_pixbuf librsvg ];
-  
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig intltool iconnamingutils gtk ];
 
+  # remove a tree of dirs with no files within
+  postInstall = '' rm -r "$out/locale" '';
+
   meta = with stdenv.lib; {
     platforms = platforms.linux;
     maintainers = [ maintainers.lethalman ];