diff --git a/nixos/release-combined.nix b/nixos/release-combined.nix
index 9ee12b497a4e..7915eec5733d 100644
--- a/nixos/release-combined.nix
+++ b/nixos/release-combined.nix
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ in rec {
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.xfce")
         (onFullSupported "nixpkgs.emacs")
         (onFullSupported "nixpkgs.jdk")
+        (onSystems ["x86_64-linux"] "nixpkgs.mesa_i686") # i686 sanity check + useful
         ["nixpkgs.tarball"]
 
         # Ensure that nixpkgs-check-by-name is available in all release channels and nixos-unstable,
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 7944d3273207..88654879cf11 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -23991,6 +23991,7 @@ with pkgs;
     inherit (darwin.apple_sdk_11_0.frameworks) OpenGL;
     inherit (darwin.apple_sdk_11_0.libs) Xplugin;
   };
+  mesa_i686 = pkgsi686Linux.mesa; # make it build on Hydra
 
   mesa_glu =  callPackage ../development/libraries/mesa-glu {
     inherit (darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks) ApplicationServices;